Hope For Today Videos

It’s very soothing and quieting to my soul to pause and watch some turtles in a pond not far from here. They aren’t in a hurry,  In fact, many times when we go there they never move from the time we arrive, go for a walk up the trail, and come back. Those turtles aren’t moving for any of us.  In their own good time, when they get ready to eat probably, they’ll move along. What helps me stay quietly in space and then move along at the right time?

When’s the last time you felt like you were drooping like a dried out plant in the heat?  Maybe you feel like that right now.  What I know today that gives me encouragement is this: My health fails; my spirits droop, yet God remains! He is the strength of my heart; he is mine forever! Psalm 73:26

What a contrast - living in the disaster of covering up and living with hidden sin and shame as compared to the freedom and joy of clearing the slate with God. How do we get on the right side?

I love spending time by the water. Fortunately I can see the river from my apartment and it’s easy to get to the side of the river either to sit and relax or to walk on the boardwalk downtown. There is another river I live with that gives me even more joy. You can live there too.

When faced with difficult memories or emotions, how many of us have chosen to repress our thoughts and try to deny the impact of these experiences on us. We make excuses for behaviour – our own and others – and try to convince ourselves things were not as bad as others made out. We even try to make excuses with God about what’s gone on and try to convince Him to go along with our view of things even though He’s God and knows absolutely every little detail, even better than we remember it, of what actually happened and the impact events had on us and others. Is there a better way?

God offers us His friendship today.  The one who knows us best, loves us most, and has done more for us than anyone else, invites us to intimate relationship with Him today.  To accept His invitation is our choice.

We are praying today that each of us will enter into the identity that God has prepared for each one of us when He created us – persons of dignity and honour – oh yes, sinful and in need of a Saviour – but persons beloved by God.

Who can we rely on?  Fair question to ask in this age of “me first,” “what works for me” world.  So when God wanted to prove for certain his promise to his people could not be broken, he made a vow. God cannot tell lies! And so his promises and vows are two things that can never be changed. How encouraging is that!

I don’t know how people who don’t know the care and guidance of God is ready and waiting for them when they wake up each morning find the strength to face the day. I find such comfort and strength from the reality that I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that makes my life in this day make sense, AND the hope of eternity in heaven with Jesus forever to look forward to.

God knows everything that’s going on and He’s doing so much behind the scenes that makes His answer to our requests so much fuller and better than and instantaneous snap-your-fingers kind of response.

Let’s not just know that God hears and answers prayers but let’s take the opportunity to be specific with God about what we are facing.  We’ll have a better day if we do.

Today I thought we might reflect briefly on Jesus’ mother.  She trusted God in spite of not really understanding all that was involved in the angel’s announcement to her that she would be the mother of Jesus, the Messiah.