May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NIV
Hope! What a beautiful manifestation of God's love for us. The Bible is filled with messages of hope amid desperate times. In the Old Testament, there is freedom of Israel from Egypt led by Moses, the deliverance of Israel from their enemies under King David, and the return of Israel from exile. In the New Testament, God gives us the hope of eternal life through Jesus.
Granted, it is easy sometimes to feel that things are hopeless. Indeed, Satan's most significant accomplishment is persuading us we are without hope, but we know this is not true. All those bad things that happen around us are just events, God has the plan, and that plan is our hope. Moreover, our hope is renewed as we turn our focus away from the distractions and toward God.
God, we acknowledge that our hope lies in you. In this world, we are faced with the constant bombardment of bad news and apparent hopelessness. Each day some new crisis replaces that of the day before. But, we understand our hope lies not in things of this world but only in you. So, Lord, help us today maintain our eyes heavenward and towards the eternal. Fill us with the joy and peace to face this day in your promise. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
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