Surviving the Crash

by Desiree Bustamante

The unfailing promise made by our Savior.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

“Come quickly, Lord, and answer me,
    for my depression deepens.
Don’t turn away from me,
    or I will die.  
Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,
    for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk,
    for I give myself to you.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward
    on a firm footing.
For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life.
    Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.”
Psalm 143:7-8,10b-11 New Living Translation

Ninety years ago today, in 1929, the stock market collapsed. Billions of dollars were lost, wiping out thousands of investors. Afterwards, America and the rest of the industrialized world spiraled downward into ten years of the Great Depression. Half of America’s banks failed, 30 percent of people were unemployed and countless lost everything they owned. Many couldn’t cope and turned to alcohol. Some even ended their lives.

Even today there’s talk of financial stock market crashes, economic downturns and financial disaster on the horizon. All of us experience crashes in life, some literally like in this photo. This guy was probably heading to work when this unexpected accident happened, creating a new challenge for his day.

Sometimes calamity comes in waves and managing by ourselves is tolerable for a while until we find that we no longer have the strength to cope. Maybe we fall into depression, or fear that God has abandoned us to face our own burdens as we wrestle with destructive worry. We fail to remember that a loving, compassionate God is longing for us to come to Him.

Yet, even when we turn to our Savior as a last resort, He is there for us. His promise to never abandon us in our suffering is true. All we need to do is cling to Him in our distress, pain and sadness and He will rescue us from the rubble of any crash.

Never overlook the amazing power of the Savior who loves you. You are His child. He desires to comfort you.

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?  No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”
Romans 8:35, 37 New Living Translation

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran, Colorado Springs, Colorado

About Desiree Bustamante

I'm married to Steve and work in fundraising for Compassion International. My joy is to deliver encouragement in all of life's situations to the body of Christ and to those yet to be.