HOPE!

Monday, August 31, 2009 (6:11 a.m.)

Blessed Lord,

Again I wake up saying “Thank You” to You. Thank You for extra rest and this nearly missed colorful sky. Thank You for thoughts of hope and a renewed peacefulness. Thank You for a clearer mind and the immediate finding of the hymn “The Solid Rock” (having not thought to use “The” in searching for it yesterday).

Thank You for the smile that crossed my face just now as I thought of how easily some things are missed. Oh most dear and blessed God, I don’t want to continue missing things. You have provided so much. You bless us continuously, yet I find myself cowering more often than standing firm on Your name.

Lord, I love You so very much. I confess to living fearfully once more. I fell deep again into the trap of being afraid of making mistakes. More than anything else in this world I didn’t want people looking at me and saying how wrong I was, about anything. Yes Lord. I wasn’t concerned about them seeing You in me. No. I didn’t want others seeing me, and how wrong I’ve been about so many things.

Thank You Lord. Thank You for reminding me that I’ve been trying again to build my life on sand (Matthew 7:26, 27) instead of listening to You and following Your instructions (vs. 24, 25).

Thank You for the relative ease with which I just (finally!) found the verse that’s been tentatively starting itself in my mind, before rushing out again.

(12:34 p.m.)

Over six hours and three subject titles later and here You find me hopeful. Truly hopeful for the first time in I don’t remember how long. Listening. Reading. Asking. Searching. Learning. Thinking. Confirming. All lead back to You. My Living Hope!

Thank You Lord! Thank You for words of hope. Songs of hope. Messages of hope. Thank You for a renewed willingness to risk hoping in You.

Blessed Father, I confess to having again placed my hope in people, places and things. Wrong thing to do! “My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: All other ground is sinking sand.”

Oh most dear and blessed Lord, how I thank You for reminding me as I seemed to be overcome by the sinking that my faith, my hope, my trust were not in You. Circumstances keep coming along that have knocked me off my proverbial props. Thank You Lord that Your love is far greater than any set of circumstances – no matter how dire or trying.

Thank You Dear Lord for reminding me of the importance of Paul’s words to Timothy (second chapter of his second letter) “O Timothy, my son, be strong with the strength Christ Jesus gives you. For you must teach others those things you and many others have heard me speak about. Teach these great truths to trustworthy men who will, in turn, pass them on to others.

“Take your share of suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, just as I do; and as Christ’s soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in worldly affairs, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in His army. Follow the Lord’s rules for doing His work, just as an athlete either follows the rules or is disqualified and wins no prize. Work hard like a farmer who gets paid well if he raises a large crop. Think over these three illustrations, and may the Lord help you to understand how they apply to you” (vs. 1-7).

Right now oh Lord, I realize how undisciplined I have become. Once again I have allowed circumstances to dictate the care and feeding of myself emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically. How can I possibly follow Christ’s mandate (Mark 12:30) that I “shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” if I am not “determined to run the race that is ahead” (Hebrews 12:1b) keeping my “eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete” (v.2a).

Lord, how I thank You for gentle reminders, huge challenges and all that falls in the middle. You are a good and mighty God. Let me not soon forget that it is in YOU and You alone that I place my faith, my hope and all of my love (1Corinthians 13:13). I love You so much dear Lord. Help me use that love for Your good and Your glory. It is in your Son’s most holy name I pray. Amen.

(785 words ~ 1:45 p.m.)