Hope for our lives

Listen along here:  https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/2b4e6921/hope-for-our-l...

hope is vital for life!

A lot has happened in the last day and a half. I flew to Boston yesterday morning to show my California brother around a bit, and see my boy Danny too--good times. But then, after dinner last night, when I checked into my hotel, I learned that the U.S. had bombed nuclear sites in Iran. Instantly, I thought, 'O God, where is this going?'

Talking at length to a stranger over coffee in the lobby area this morning, chatting with Uber drivers along the way today . . . people are wondering, some are worried: 'what is happening? what is going to happen? what's coming next?' Mothers of young children again think 'in what kind of world is my child growing up??!' Fair questions, but no ready answers.

I’m tired tonight, and I've fumbled around trying to write words God would use to encourage hearts worldwide... simple as this briefing is, someone needs these words.

What oxygen is for the lungs, 

such is hope for the meaning of human life.

Take oxygen away and death occurs through suffocation,

take hope away and humanity is constricted through lack of breath;

despair and hopelessness set in.1

For as many people as read these Morning Briefings, there are varied rough situations - some very serious and heart breaking... we are a people who need hope.

We got nothin if we lose hope.

Thank the good Lord, [and he is good!], that if we have faith in God - we have hope.

When life tries us, we need to have the embers of our hope stoked, so . . . 

consider this 'stoking'.

i have oft spoken of the power of scripture to go straight to our hearts, penetrate our thoughts and guide us. scripture is so much more than just written words.

I remember in the early days of the pandemic, praying the words of the verse I was committing to memory, 'Committing to memory - isn't that a little extreme? No! I was memorizing truth to discipline my thoughts of worry, stress and concern. The verse:

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

Then I reworded and personalized it: 

May the God of hope fill me with all joy and peace as I trust in him,

  so that I may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yes!

Pray God’s Word back to him, and watch him move in your life.

God is the source of our hope.

  When we fully trust him,

   he alone can fill us with joy and peace,

     And then cause us to overflow with hope!

       All because of the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives.

Even when experiencing clinical depression or anxiety, these words are still true,

even when we do not feel them at the time; 

Sometimes, it takes time.2

But hear me:

God is trustworthy, he is able, and he is good.

Nothing that is happening in the world

or in your personal life has caught God off guard.

  He is the source of all hope and worthy of our trust.

    Only he can fill us with joy and peace 

      And he oft does it in mysterious ways

Go ahead, write out Romans 15.13 (the above verse) for yourself;

carry it with you, pray it. God, will you fill me with joy and peace? I am endeavoring to trust you, maybe really for the first time in my life. Help me have hope through your power, God.

And to make you smile, consider the hope in this little guy: 

A man approached a little league baseball game one afternoon (near and dear to my heart!) He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. 

The boy responded, "Eighteen to nothing--we're behind." 

"Boy," said the spectator, "I'll bet you're discouraged." 

"Why should I be discouraged?" replied the little boy. "We haven't even gotten up to bat yet!"

Hang in there ... God has you in the palm of his hand, Friend. He promised he does!3

Please listen/watch - just a few minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tElvdnId4Q

Christine

PastorWoman.net

1 - Dr. Emil Brunner

2 - perhaps medical help too

3 - Isaiah 49.16