There’s a couple of things missing in today’s world, well actually more than a couple of things, but I’ll stick to a couple for now. Now, understand, I’m not a professional businessman, so I can’t tell you a thing about today’s economy or what it will look like in the future. All I know is, when I go to fill my car up with gas, gas prices have gone up and so have a lot of other things.
It also seems to me, as I listen to people, that either we’re a lot sicker than we used to be, or there are just more doctors available to see us. Seems to me that there’s a lot of people either in the hospital or in the doctor’s office on any given day, but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of answers for our ailments.
Well, those things and so many more, can cause us to lose hope. We work hard, but the pay doesn’t seem to cover all our expenses. We’re always short.
We’ve taken care of ourselves over the years, not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well, but we’ve seemed to hit some roadblocks in our health that have knocked us down.
We’ve loved freely, helping others, serving when we could, only to be left alone when our time of struggle came.
It’s through these experiences that we lose hope. It’s fleeting, it rises and drops very quickly. We feel like a roller coaster of emotion. We’re on top of the world one moment, with great faith, and then plummet to what we call reality, the next.
But did you know, there’s a better way? Did you know there is help? Did you know there is an answer to our problem of loss of hope? It’s found right here in the Word of God – literally. Here’s what the Word says,
“… the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope.” —Romans 15:4
You want hope? Read your Bible! You need encouragement? Read your Bible!
Paul wrote that this Book will teach you and encourage you, by putting hope back in your life. Then he adds his own prayer for us. He says,
“I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.” —Romans 15:13
Don’t you just want to say, “I’ll take some of that! God if you give hope, I’ll take it! I want to be happy and could use some peace in my life and I believe, You, Oh God, have given it to me. Holy Spirit, fill me with hope!”
Here’s my word of encouragement for you today
Hope is waiting for you. God’s hope will never let you down, it won’t disappoint you. Why not turn to Him and ask Him for His hope today?
Father,
Bless me with You hope. Holy Spirit, fill me with hope. In Jesus name I ask this, Amen.
—Rev. Dr. MM Marxhausen
Mark was Spiritual Director for VdC from 2016 to 2019. He's written many of the devotions, especially the Devote and Affirm series, found on this website.
