To Be Held By Hope is Far Different than Hoping for Something to Happen

My friend recently asked how I would describe God. I replied with the first things that came to mind, “He’s the Creator of ALL things, the Healer of ALL disease” along with a few other things.

If I’d memorized Psalm 146, however, I would’ve led with that! As I read it today, it reminded me of Whom I serve.

The Psalmist begins with praise then transitions to an imperative, warning us not to put our confidence in fallible people who will all eventually die.

Verse 5 follows with a powerful promise of joy for those, “who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in their God!”

One commentary used the phrase, “prisoner of Hope”. It didn’t sit well with me as Jesus came to set us free, but the more I pondered it in light of the passage, there was something comforting about the uncomfortableness.

I just shared with someone yesterday that it’s been 13 months of hard things…& when I look back, I wouldn’t have made it this far without my Hope & Helper in God!

None of us want to be prisoner of anything, but freedom falls when we are held firm by Hope!

Jesus is not only the Author & Giver of Hope, He is the very ground & Foundation of it!

His death & resurrection give HOPE that dead things can spring back to life AND the Maker of heaven & the earth HELPS us by holding us steady when things feel shaky!

To be held by Hope & helped by Hope is far different than pining away for something to unfold. Hope can denote a feeling, but we all know how fleeing they can be! When we are held firmly by the Author, Giver & Foundation of Hope, nothing may change in our circumstances, but everything about our perspective does!

He lifts our chins to see beyond the messiness of today well into eternity. While we tarry for His return, He’s at work, freeing prisoners, giving justice to the oppressed, opening the eyes of the blind & lifting us when we feel weighed down!

Oh, Jesus, there’s great comfort when we allow ourselves to be held by You in the uncomfortable tension of waiting. We thank you for tarried times that cause us to turn to You. Thank you for binding us with Hope while we wait with great expectation for the full manifestation of Your help!

#OneYearBible

June 28th One Year Bible Readings

2 KINGS 13:1-14:29

ACTS 18:23-19:12

PSALM 146:1-10

PROVERBS 18:2-3

What Needs are you Facing Today?

What specific needs are you facing today? If you could take a minute & jot them down, what are the top three? That’s how I started my day as I awakened early with very tangible needs weighing like a blanket on my heart, not to give airtime to negativity, but to bring the dark things into the Light, asking God to reveal Himself as my Answer to the hard things ahead.

I cannot imagine life without The Word. Starting each day reading the Bible is like a jumpstart to our batteries of faith!  As a read today, worrisome thoughts kept bullying their way into my reading, so much so that I ended up reading my One Year Bible out loud to crowd them out!

It wasn’t until Psalm 145:13 that I paused. It’s a promise that gives way for praise even when a pity party feels in order 😂

David writes, “The Lord always keeps his promises; he’s gracious in all he does.”

When I think of all of God’s promises there’s one that covers them all in my book & that’s when He says, 

“I AM.”

For every single need we face, there is a corresponding name or attribute of God that meets, addresses & fulfills it, we just sometimes need reminders, & sometimes those reminders come in the way of a need 😉

Father, thank You that You are our 

👉🏽Adequacy for our inadequacy

👉🏽Burden bearer when we’re bent beneath our loads

👉🏽Door when there seems to be no way forward

👉🏽Healer when we need healing

👉🏽Provider when we need provision

👉🏽Peace when none can be found

👉🏽Sure Foundation when everything is shaking

👉🏽Amen when we need You to be the last Word on a matter far too great for us to understand.

Thank You for using needs to remind us of our need of You, for You alone meet each & every one.

May we only glance at our needs, but fix our gaze firmly on You, God, the Quieter of our storm, our Source of Wisdom & Way Who makes a path forward.

You promise to keep Your Word, so we take You at your Word tpray & await with eager expectation for You to reveal Yourself as our gracious Father who meets every one of our needs.

#OneYearBible

June 27th One Year Bible Readings

2 KINGS 10:32-12:21

ACTS 18:1-22

PSALM 145:1-21

PROVERBS 18:1

Sometimes Silence is the Secret Sauce of Wisdom

Sometimes silence is the secret sauce of wisdom. King Solomon writes that a truly wise person uses few words for even fools are thought wise when they keep silent.

But silence doesn’t feel golden when we don’t see eye to eye with someone.

My husband & I recently had a pretty heated disagreement. Actually, this was one of the few times I didn’t feel heated, but my words ignited a fire in him that wouldn’t be easily quenched. He began to say a lot like rapid fire bullets, each word landing squarely on my heart. He ended his diatribe with, “Anything else, Chief?”

Ouch.

I had many words & no words all at the same time. I wanted SO badly to reply, but praise God the Holy Spirit zipped my lips. I left in silence, wondering what to do with my wounded heart.

Solomon didn’t say that staying silent is wise, but rather a wise person uses few words. It’s in those moments of discord when we don’t know what to pray, that praise is great place to start!

That’s what David does in Psalm 144. He devotes the first 2/3 of the Psalm to remind himself Who God is, His Rock, Fortress, Rescuer & Shield BEFORE he speaks his need in two short words: “Save me!”

It’s easy in times of frustration to give airtime to enemy operation, but how much more effective to remember Who God is & what He’s done because it keeps us humble & strengthens our faith in the only One who can rescue us!

As I walked through that day recalling Who God is & what He’s done, I giggled as He reminded me that I once WAS “Chief” of sinners 😂 With His lead, I was able to release the offense & actually bless my husband’s spirit with wisdom, revelation & a renewed love for his wife💞

When we silence our words, we can hear His reminders of the grace we’ve received SO THAT we can move past what we think we deserve & love with His love, forgive with His grace & trust Him to work out the complicated details of life.

Father, bless our spirits to come underneath the authority of the Holy Spirit. When we want to let words rush like a freight train, muzzle our mouths. May we be like David & use our words to worship You, recalibrating our hearts to yours, so our words may be few & Your love through us be extravagant!

#OneYearBible

June 26th One Year Bible Readings 2 KINGS 9:14-10:31 ACTS 17:1-34 PSALM 144:1-15 PROVERBS 17:27-28