Pray for the Vietnam Church

May 3 | Vietnam

The majority of the Vietnamese believers belong to the 55 ethnic groups who are living in the central and
northern provinces. Access to biblical resources and training is limited for them.

Sending Open Doors’ teachers to their villages is risky and can easily draw suspicion from neighbors and local
authorities.

Please pray for the protection of our local partners and workers as they carry out our programs in these areas.

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10.14-15 NIV

Evening Reading: Galatians 6.2 NIV

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6.2 NIV

PDL 14 – When God Seems Distant

“I will wait for the Lord, who has hidden his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in God.” Isaiah 8:17 CEB

“Why do you stand so far away, Lord, hiding yourself in troubling times?” Psalm 10:1 CEB

[God] has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13.5b ESV

Day 14 of 40: “God is real, no matter how I feel.”

That makes perfect sense to me since, personality-wise, I am high on the thinking side of the “think/feel” scale. It’s not that I am unfeeling… in fact, my feelings can go all over the place… and sometimes they seem to have a mind of their own. But usually, when push comes to shove, I rely on my rational side to make decisions.

I am trying to think back to some “Dark Nights of the Soul”… but I’m not having much success. I can remember some very difficult times in the past… but they all seem very “long ago and far away” and I wouldn’t describe them as times of feeling like God had abandoned me. They seem more like just something I had to go through… sometimes I brought them on myself… and sometimes I didn’t.

But, once I surrendered my life to God, I never doubted He loved me and would never leave me or forsake me – whether I felt His nearness or not. I take God at His Word… and a promise is a promise.

When I don’t feel particularly close to God, I find that music soothes and heals my soul… and reminds me that “He loves us” – and that includes me.