Mon., 12/8/14 Devotion (Lk. 22:43)

Today's encouragement comes from Luke 22:43, where we read these words:

"Then an angel appeared to Him [Jesus] from heaven, strengthening Him."

All God's Christian people need strength. Even the very Captain of our souls, the Head of the church Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, did. Sometimes we children of God find ourselves in very tough circumstances. Naturally, we call out to God for deliverance and freedom (from what afflicts us). But what of-tentimes the Lord chooses to do, is *not* to immediately extricate us from our problem—but to use it as a great opportunity to make us stronger.

After all: this happened with our Savior Himself. He is in the Garden of Geth-semane, He is in agony and anguish; and His Father chooses to give Him strength (even through an angel)—for the purpose of encouraging Jesus in His horrendously difficult task of going to the cross to die for all the elect church.

[Puritan quote of the day: "The nature of God is lovely in Christ, and our na-ture in Christ is lovely to Him." —Richard Sibbes, in "Glorious Freedom"]