our Living Hope

 Sunday, April 6, 2025 (5:20 a.m.)

♪… Holy Spirit You are welcome here Come flood this place And fill the atmosphere Your glory God Is what our hearts long for To be overcome By Your presence, Lord…♪

Thank You Father. I sang this to You yesterday and was blessed many times over. 

♪… There’s nothing worth more That will ever come close No thing can compare You’re our living Hope♪

(5:46 a.m.)

Blessed God, thank You for the privilege of coming before You. Singing. Smiling. Willing. Yes Lord, thank You for providing me the willingness to sing and smile.

We have another sadness in our neighborhood. The probable passing of a MUCH loved patriarch. A living example of a true Christ follower. Loving. Kind. Meek. Mild. With SUCH strength of Spirit. One who truly exemplified life in You.

Thank You Father for tears to shed. And joy to remember. Thank You for filling us with Your living hope!

The Passion Translation for 1 Peter 1:3 tells us to “Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has shown us His extravagant mercy. For His fountain of mercy has given us a new life - we are reborn to experience a living, energetic hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

God, You are SO good (Psalm 145:5-8). Great. Glorious. Gracious!

Reading in Illustrated Bible Handbook I find a section in First Peter. Chapter 1:3-12. Our Living Hope Thank You Lord. I like the ways You lead and solidify our thinking.

“Peter writes of a ‘living hope.’ No circumstances can extinguish it, for it is based on great spiritual realities… While these are not realities which can be touched or handled, there is evidence: the unexplained joy believers know despite mental anguish ('grief') from ‘all kinds of trials’ (v. 6) is testimony to what cannot be seen.”

Father, thank You.

(7:41 a.m.)

Yes. Thank You Lord. Time spent talking with my much loved brother. About You. The hope we have in You. Your goodness. Your grace. And the love we share for our dearly loved neighbor.

This is all You Lord! As is the musical reminder that ♪I’m So Blessed (I’m so blessed) Hallelujah, I’m so blessed♪

How I ask (Matthew 7:7a) You to keep reminding me how blessed we are being Your children. Use me as You know is best. Representing well the living hope we have in You.

Thank You for the faith, hope and love (1 Corinthians 13:13a) You provide us. I want to share it. Freely. Do all You must to this end. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(445 words ~ 7:54 a.m.)