ONE THING I KNOW FOR CERTAIN - and it brings hope
Happy New Year to you!
Except it isn't for many people. Already, just one week in, we're frustrated, depressed, stressed, anxious ..... with nothing to look forward to, nothing we can plan ….
Hadn't all we secretly hoped that a new year would end the chaos and be a new hopeful start-over? That we could breathe a sigh of relief as we watched those fireworks over London and enjoy just a tinge of hope and optimism and thoughts of better times?
As I too was hit by the longings and weariness of things not changing and looking worse than ever, I asked God for a verse, a word, to take with me into 2021. (twenty twenty won, ha ha. Oh, and then there's twenty twenty too ...)
It's something I've been doing for several years. Sometimes the word/verse stays with me all year and really helps my walk with God; it becomes a steadfast baseline to stabilise and support.
Just after Christmas, the word HOPE dropped into my mind. I thought about it, turned it over, ruminated and chewed on it. Then a verse popped out on a photo as I was looking back through my (too large) photo file on my laptop. It was a photo of something I'd written some time ago and there it was:
Romans 15:13.(see below) HOPE again. Then this turned up on Facebook. It’s by @aardvanti from Mumbai.
I sensed this was all a God-incidence. By January 1st I was raring to go! A new journal for Christmas from a dear friend; a book by Rowan Williams; several verses and thoughts creatively designed on Canva to remind, encourage, and stick in the journal; a list of verses about HOPE; a Bible reading plan about HOPE.
I was, am, full of HOPE.
It's not the wishy-washy wanting or wishing for something. 'Hope the sun shines today; hope there's a parking space near the shop...'
This is a definite, positive, HOPE. A belief, a trust. Which, when I looked it up in the dictionary, is the old, archaic definition of HOPE -a trust and desire.
HOPE is so much more than wishing or longing, when it comes from and trusts in God: a confident expectation that he fulfils his promises.
RADIATE WITH HOPE!
Sign me up.
OVERFLOW WITH HOPE!
Sign me up
And then came Lockdown 3. Or is it 300.
Whatever, it feels never ending. So, I asked myself, what will I choose to do with this time. Because all times belong to him.
Even lockdown.
Will I use it to grow a bit? Choose not to shrink a bit?
From ‘Candles in the Dark’ by Rowan Williams - faith, hope and love in a time of pandemic, written during lockdown 1.
I'm reading one chapter (they are short reflections) each morning.
Here's a conscious decision: and I'm choosing to grow a bit. Because I'm choosing HOPE
Because lockdown is just a chapter of the book of my life; it's not the whole; I can choose how I use it. And I'm using it to grow my HOPE in the One who makes all things new.
So I've printed out all these images and stuck them in my new journal.I'm loving it. I'm inspired. I'm hopeful. I have the thrill of HOPE.
HOPE
I've started with verses about HOPE in the Psalms. And I'm realising how often HOPE is linked with TRUST.
The Lord alone is our radiant HOPE and we trust him with all our hearts... As we trust, we rejoice with an unconditional joy.
Let your love overshadow us for we trust in you. Ps 33:20-22 (TPT)
I am trusting you, Lord God, saying, 'You are my God. My future is in your hands' ... Be strong and take courage all you who put your HOPE in the Lord. Ps 32:14, 23-24 (TPT)
May the God of all HOPE fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him. Roms 15:13 (NIV)
So I have a choice: to put my HOPE in God, to trust him; or to put my hope and trust in other things.
What do I hope and trust in? My own ego? My own strength and resilience? My health, my well-being, my lifestyle and possessions, my tribe, the number of likes on social media ....
One thing I know for certain: when I can truly say, in Christ alone my hope is found, then I will know him as my light, my strength, my song.
I depend on God alone; I put my HOPE in him. He alone protects and saves me; he is my defender, and I shall never be defeated. My salvation and honour depend on God; he is my strong protector; he is my shelter. Trust in God at all times, my people. Tell him all your troubles, for he is our refuge. Ps 62: 5-8 (GNB)
He gives strength for today and bright HOPE for tomorrow - yes, even in 2021 and lockdown.
Where is YOUR hope and trust?
NEW YEAR
NEW LOOK!
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