When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the leading men of your tribes and your elders came to me. And you said, “The Lord our God has shown us His glory and His majesty, and we have heard His voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a man can live even if God speaks with him.” Deuteronomy 5:23-24.

He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Luke 17:20-21.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20.

If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there Your hand will guide me, and Your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night – but even in darkness I cannot hide from You. To You the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to You. Psalm 139:9-12.

And continuing our 351 Old Testament prophecies, promises of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, we come to number 18: Called Shiloh or One Sent. Genesis 49:10: The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. And, John 17:3: This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

The work that Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, is doing is unfolding without our awareness or help. But for all that is needed within us personally, cannot be realized without Him helping us. I struggle mightily every morning with anger and I’m beginning to see that He is showing me what is there inside of me. The anger bubbles up effortlessly in ways small and big but so quick to ignite. And I try to nip it in the bud, truly, and am frustrated by my own efforts. Reading the Scripture verses above in my devotionals helps me and then I go to Him in prayer. And He tells me to trust Him for all things and all people and all outcomes, that He is knitting together and His work is good. I am not my own. I am His and part of a family loved. His love is not hindered by my fears. His love IS. God shows His love for me in the gentle way He teaches. And my soul finds its rest in Him. Once you begin to see how much you need God’s help, you will never want to go alone. You can’t and we were never meant to be isolated in our fears and frustrations and anger that bubbles up so effortlessly. We try to tamp them down but without His help we are powerless. With Him we see them for what they truly are – our need for Him. With His help they are not so big and frightening because He is with us providing the gentle help we need to truly see. The kingdom of God is everything this fallen world is not – and cannot ever provide. The kingdom of God is God’s love and truth and help and light and refreshing so needed by all of us. The gospel is the good news that God’s kingdom IS and we can be with Him now and find the help we need daily for life lived with Him that is good even in the midst of the turmoils within and without. Until the kingdoms of this fallen world are brought to their needed ending, we wait with Him helping us and His help is good bringing understanding of our need for Him always. And as we see how much we need His help that He gives us, we gladly pray for all of His people. He longs to gather us together in the shelter of His love. His arms are waiting and ready to receive us and it is so good to be with Him! He is all that your spirit has been longing for you never knew you needed – but He knows and He delights in you!