It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8

I have never been a big fan of Twinkies.

On the other hand, those Hostess CupCakes with the swirly, white squiggles of frosting on top were a rare treat, when I was growing up. Yes, it's the Cupcakes that make me sorry to see the Hostess Company go away. Yes, it's true, the maker of those CupCakes -- and Twinkies -- and Wonder Bread is closing up shop.

In doing so, they join a great many other familiar brand names from my childhood that are now defunct. Let's see, just off the top of my head I can think of Eastern, Pan American, and TWA Airlines. On the ground I have seen the demise of DeLorean, Studebaker, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Packard and Hudson.

No longer can I drive into Amoco or Standard Oil and pay for a fill-up with my Diners Club card; all three are gone now. The soft-drink TaB has dried up, and Chiclets are lost forever. Then, of course, there is Woolworths with its wonderful soda fountains. Montgomery Ward had no soda fountains, but it also has departed.

No doubt many of you are getting a bit nostalgic, as you recall some of the once-familiar companies, which now live on only in your memory.

I guess it all goes to show that nothing lasts forever.

Wait, that's not quite right, is it?

Jesus' life, His suffering, His sacrifice, His death, His descent into hell, and His resurrection from the dead are God's way of showing us He is with us -- that He will not leave us or forsake us. The Father who sent the Redeemer into this world to fulfill His promise to save us has now guaranteed that all who believe on Jesus as their Savior need never be afraid or dismayed at what life might throw at them.

Years ago there was a company called E. F. Hutton. Their ads said, "When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen." Well, E.F. Hutton has closed its doors, but the motto lives on. It lives on and could readily be picked up by the Lord. When the Triune God speaks, we all ought to listen.

If we do, we shall find that because of Jesus' act of redemption, hell has been replaced by heaven, and worldly worry has been set aside by wonder at God's saving grace.

All of this leads me to say, I give thanks that in this changing world there is one thing I can count on: the love of God that comes to us in Jesus Christ.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks You have proven Yourself far more reliable than any human promise or man-made institution. May I, by the Holy Spirit's power, be given a faith which trusts completely in You. This I pray in the Name of the Savior, who is with us always. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Ezekiel 27-29    1 Peter 3

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