From today's devotions

LONGING

They were longing for a better country.
Hebrews 11:16

It is always hard to bare one’s heart in public; we all have sorrows to bear. And we can encourage one another in Christ, knowing that “as [we] share in our sufferings, so also [we] share in our comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:7).

Reflecting on his own work in missions, the apostle Paul said, “We do not want you to be uninformed … about the hardships we suffered … We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life… But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9).

In our sorrows and troubles, sometimes we feel we just can’t take anymore. But situations like these teach us to cast ourselves on God, to long “for a better country.” The words to a beautiful melody from India come to mind: “I have decided to follow Jesus—no turning back, no turning back.”

Prayer:
When we do not know how to pray, Holy Spirit, pray for us "with groans that words cannot express." We ask for your comfort and peace-and courage to keep going. Amen.