Last Sunday, Pastor Dan preached on aspects we need to consider and reflect upon in order to recognize God's Hand in our lives. It was a perfect message for the Sunday before Thanksgiving...it was powerfully timed to help us be intentional about hitting the pause button this season...and boy do I need that.
This semester has gone by so incredibly fast, I don't think I've had time to catch my breath. In the midst of new-class-prep, administrative duties, student issues, meetings, problems plus all the stuff of real life...the last few months have all but disappeared right in front of my eyes...no time to pause and reflect about anything. So, after listening to Pastor Dan, I am praying the Holy Spirit allows me the ability to intentionally take a moment to think about the blessing of His Hand in my daily walk.
The first item Pastor Dan encouraged us to think about was: to react to the Hope God has give us.
This one is pretty tricky these days...isn't it?
Sigh...
We have only to listen or read the news and we see hope dissipate. We look at the state of society and of the world and we wonder where has hope gone? We turn our eyes to our own families and friends and worry about what the future may bring. We look at our hearts and souls and see so much loss around us...so much grieving...so much pain...so much loneliness...so much sadness...so much heartache...so much fear...so much despair...that we think, hope? Sorry, we ran out...
Perhaps, may I suggest, however, that we might be looking in the wrong places?
Our heart, our mind, our eyes, our emotions could be deceiving at times. They cannot always be trusted. I know I can't trust my thoughts. They typically lead me to places I have no business visiting. My mind often takes me to dark corners filled with fear and horrific shadows. I can't trust my eyes either, for they tend to chase the things of this world rather than the things of the spirit. My heart and my emotions get easily out of whack because they follow after my mind and eyes' unruly patterns...so my entire being is derailed, leaving hope nowhere to be found.
Instead, I ought to listen to the Apostle Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:28:
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you...
That is the key, praying, constantly praying that the Holy Spirit, the Hope in Us, opens/enlightens the eyes of our heart so that we may see Him...Hope Himself!
We don't find hope in the world or in our sinful and corrupted flesh. We find Hope in Our Lord, Jesus, who is Hope. We hope in Him. And we pray He reveals Himself to us in our journey through this life so we never lose His Hand...so we can hold on and keep moving until He calls us home.
...but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40: 31
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