There seemed no end to the oppression that plagued my thoughts.  Thick dark clouds of sadness moved endlessly above me.  The Lord’s presence was nowhere to be found. Curses and bad memories, arguments presenting themselves one after another supported a conclusion that I was unloved.  Is anything more necessary than our need for love?  I prayed and I read the truth of God’s word, but I was alone, facing contempt, and difficult circumstances.

I recalled lyrics from a recent song,

“Are you broken and hurting within,

overwhelmed by the weight of your sin.

Jesus is calling.

Have you come to the end of yourself?

Do you yearn for a drink from the well?

Jesus is calling.”

I was in need of love and the voice of the Lord, Yeshua.  The Bible addresses this need, as well as all others.  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Phil. 4: 6).  It is not saying, just don’t be anxious, but rather, believe God cares and will respond to your requests in prayer.  This doesn’t mean that oppression will not come; that there will be no trials or painful situations; we live in a fallen world and we have enemies here.  But, the Children of God have a loving ever-present Father who is faithful and all-powerful.  He demonstrated His redeeming deliverance and overcoming victory to Israel regularly. There is nothing you will encounter or situation where God has not already prepared for you His compassion and mercy.

The reality is Good/Love overcomes Evil/Hate, this is the fundamental message of the Bible.  Yeshua experienced hardship, difficulty, oppression, pain, suffering, and more of it than we could bear, but He trusted Father God and was delivered every time, even over death in resurrection.  Moreover, He was sinless, but still suffered great injustice, betrayal and rejection from His own people.  Believers follow in Yeshua’s paths, so we too are subject to temptation, trial and the oppression of the enemy.  Take heart as scripture says, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Cor. 10: 13).  We have a deliverer.  “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1: 13-14).  In time, He will bring an end to oppression and the intimacy and presence of the Lord will once again cause you to tremble before Him in humility. (Dan. 10: 5-10).  “Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name.  For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” (Ps. 30: 4-5).