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Devotional for May 2, 2020

Sustained

"Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me." (Psalm 54:4 NIV)

The question that is frequently repeated, especially at the beginning of this new month, is, how much longer this is going to last. Even though the Governor of the state I live in will soon be outlining a plan for how certain business are going to reopen, things will largely be remaining the same as they have the past couple of months. Stay-at-home and social distancing requirements are still in place, many schools and certain public places remain closed indefinitely, and the effects of the pandemic, even after everything returns to some semblance of "normal," will remain for a long time to come. Our daily cry remains, how long?

The reality at this point is that we may not know how long this situation may last. Although there are promises of businesses and recreational facilities slowly opening up, things may change. As of today, where I live, there is still talk of a "second wave" of the coronavirus, possibly coming next month. There has also been talk of another wave coming in the fall, which, in that instance, may repeat the disruptions to society and the economy all over again. Once again, our daily cry remains, how long?

At this point in time, although we may not know how much longer the whole catastrophe caused by the coronavirus may last, we know and believe that we still have one strong source of help: God. It has been God who has sustained us and brought us to this point, and it is God who will continue to sustain us. It has been God who has been keeping us going, and who has been giving us the resources and energy to keep going from day to day, in our home life, in our schoolwork, in our employment, in every aspect of our daily lives. It has been God who has been sustaining us as we struggle materially, financially, and emotionally, by providing us with what we need at just the right time. It has been God who has given us the hope we need simply to have the willingness to make it through each day. And, it will continue to be God who sustains us, as we continue to ride out the rest of this pandemic and its effects. God loves us and cares for us, and will never leave us to struggle on our own. No matter how long this pandemic lasts, or in what sort of waves it comes, God will always be with us. He will remain actively involved with us, encouraging us, providing for us, and sustaining us. He will always be there, just as He always has been.

Dear God, thank you for being with me every day and sustaining me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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