Gospel News — Sep-Dec 2013

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work, music, or sports, or they seek success. Maybe nothing is wrong with the latter four of these in themselves, but they do not satisfy that hunger deep inside every human being.

Nothing will fill this gap except the relationship with God who made us. According to the New Testament, the reason for this emptiness is that men and women have turned their backs on God. Jesus said, `I am the bread of life' (John 6:35). He is the only one who can satisfy our deepest hunger, because He is the one who made it possible for us to be restored to a relationship with God and bring us close to Him.

Total Desolation (Mk 15:34)

Bro. David Yelulani (Banket, Zimbabwe.)

Many people know spiritual desolation at some time or another in their spiritual journey. It usually comes as a result of some bad event – a tragedy, a death, a grief, a disappointment, loss of employment, or a relationship breakdown. You feel that God has totally abandoned you. You wonder why he is punishing you when you haven't done anything bad. You feel all alone, forgotten, lost and defeated.

Jesus knew it too. In his most desperate hour on the cross he quoted Psalm 22:1, "My God, my God....." In that cry of dereliction Jesus enters into your loneliness, emptiness and pain. However low you may sink, however lonely you may seem, however desperate and desolate you may feel, Jesus is there in it with you. You may not see him, you won't hear him, you won't be able to get through to him, but he is there. You cannot sink below his grasp. You cannot wander away from his care. You cannot drift out of his sight. Jesus knows exactly how you feel. He has felt that way himself, he has been right there where you are now. He has known the midnight. And he knows that the Father held him even in his darkest hour. You can too. If you cannot hold on to God, let Jesus hold on to you. He can. He will.

What Is The Purpose In Living? (John 4:34)

Bro. David Yelulani (Banket, Zimbabwe.)

Everyone has asked this question at some time or another. Has life a purpose, or is it a meaningless struggle between birth and death? Is it necessary to have a goal? These and many similar questions haunt the minds of ordinary people.

Many set themselves goals that demand all their energy and concentration. They look forward to the time when they will be successful and hold positions of prestige and authority. Others, who are perhaps more farsighted, see success not in worldly terms, but in the service and caring for others. Everyone seeks their own purpose in living, and inevitably they seek to please themselves believing that in so doing they can have a purpose that will bring satisfaction.

As a committed Christian you should no longer live to please yourself but God. This may sound very prosaic to the uninitiated, but it is the key to a purposeful and satisfying way of life. There can be no greater purpose in life than to do the will of God. To this end you were born and to deviate from this purpose is to accept the second best that produces frustration and dissatisfaction.

To live to do God's will is a way of life that demands a high standard of dedication, but it is not a grievous burden that robs life of its joy. It is rather to live at the source of true joy, and experience the riches that only He can give to those who love and serve Him.

A VISIT TO PANAMA

Sis. Esther Worrell, (Canada)

Our Heavenly Father blessed me with the privilege of visiting Panama situated in Central America. I spent two months there as I was trying to escape from the winter in Canada, and was the guest of my niece, Sis. June Neblett, who really made me very comfortable during the entire period. The