The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.
Numbers 12:9

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Today's Journal
I'll pray today for...
* My spouse
* My children
* Their friends
* My friends
* My employer
* My city
* My country
* Civic leaders
* Schools
* Teachers

* The sick
* The lost
* Those in despair
* The hospitalized
* The grieving
* Widows
* Orphans

* My church
* My pastor
* Church leaders
* Other churches
* Persecuted church
* Missionaries
* Myself

The saddest words in any language might be the words, "I'm leaving." Countless homes are broken and marriages severed when one person decides to depart, often leaving the spouse and dependents to fend for themselves. Partnerships are dissolved, lifetime friends separate and things never are the same again. But when God tells you he's leaving, it's then you have real cause for concern. The Bible tells us of another departure that was just as sad, but its ramifications were both good and bad at the same time.

Jesus shared the Last Supper with his disciples, breaking bread and drinking wine that symbolized his broken body and shed blood for the redemption of man. The disciples had no way of knowing what it all meant. Their lives were about to be ripped apart emotionally, but that wasn't even worth comparing with the way the Lord was preparing to suffer before his departure. (Mk 14:23-25) But thank God, Jesus could not return victoriously to establish his earthly kingdom until he left as a suffering and slaughtered Lamb.

In Psalm 52, David noted that the wicked had but a short time on earth before leaving, being "uprooted from the land of the living." By contrast, the righteous had hope they would praise the Lord for eternity with other saints after physical death. (Vs:5,59) The sorrow of departure or death is difficult to endure, but it is possible with the realization it is but a brief pause before sharing eternity with the Lord and your friends.

Are you prepared to leave this world? If there is anything you have left to do that you don't want to entrust to someone else to finish, today might be the most prudent time to do it. That's because Jesus will come back and God, though he might seem distant at times because of our transgression, is always faithful to keep his promise to never leave us or forsake us.

1 Developed from Read the Bible Thru ( Nm. 11:24-13:33 Mk. 14:22-52 Ps. 52:1-9 Pr. 11:1-3 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

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