Will the Lord Cast Off forever?

Thought For Today - February 17
Will The Lord Cast Off Forever?
By: Robert A. Searles

     "I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice;and he gave ear unto me.  In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: My sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.  I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.  Thou holdest mine eyes waking; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.  I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.  I call to remembrance my song in the night; I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.  Will the Lord cast off forever? And will he be favorable no more?  Is his mercy clean gone forever? Doth his  promise fail for evermore?  Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah  And I said, this is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high.  I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.  I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings." Psalm 77: 1-12.
 
     The psalmist seemed to be going through a time of physical suffering as well as a time when it seemed to him that God may have forgotten him and was far off - "Will The Lord Cast off forever?" - "Will he be favorable no more?" -  Every time we find ourselves in a similar situation which seems hopeless and we become fearful we have a tendency  to ask the same questions.  Where is God?  Has he forgotten us?  These are the times when we need to remember, as the psalmist did, the former times when it seemed that God was pouring out an abundance of blessings upon us and meeting our every need. 

 God never leaves us nor forsakes us.  He always keeps his promises to save us and to provide for our daily requirements.  It is we who backslide and fall away from fellowship with him and become faithless.  We need to cry out to God and ask forgiveness for our backsliding and lack of faith,  We need to count all our past blessings and remember the things that Jesus told us - That if we  will confess our sins he will forgive our sins and restore our fellowship with God the Father, and the Holy Spirit.  God hears and answers our prayers.  We need only to believe.