Tag Archive for: Hope

Living Hope

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you. (1 Peter 1:3-4)

We should be taking every breath in praise to our Father God and His Son Jesus Christ.  Why would we miss an opportunity to praise the One who has created the heavens and the earth?  The One who gives us the air we breathe, the brain that makes it possible for our body to function, and the heart that pumps the blood through us.  God did every tiny thing and every big thing in our lives.  He certainly deserves our praise.  Our mouths should only open up to praise Him!

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Incurable Joy

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

This last week I was watching a show with Michael J. Fox in it called, “The Incurable Optimist” and a lot of it I wanted to apply to my Christian walk.  The world has some great ideas about hope, joy, and happiness.  I pray that we do not let them outshine us.  May we see what David wrote in the Psalms and apply it to our daily way of thinking.  May we wake up each morning and rejoice in the day God has given us.  Our days on this earth are numbered, the very breaths that we take have been given to us by God, and the opportunities we have to share the hope God has given us through Jesus Christ are slipping away.  We need to cease every opportunity we are given to share the hope that is within us and live with an incurable joy.  May the world look at us and see that we have a joy that can’t be shaken.

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Fountain of Youth

Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools. (Proverbs 16:22)

Understanding

Oh, how I seek more understanding each day that I live.  And each day presents a new obstacle.  Today my husband and I were going to spend the evening at the beach, walk it, and watch the sunset.  Well, thanks to GPS on our phones we ended up in a small town closer to home.  Our purpose was to find a place for dinner, but the two places we went to must have been shut down.  We could have kicked and screamed about how life just wasn’t going our way, but I believe I wrote a devotional about life being half full yesterday.   So there we were in this small town where soon we found out a few of the stores were closed down and there were few options for dinner.

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Life in the E.R. ~ Psalm 119 Part 9

Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope. My comfort in my suffering is this:  Your promise preserves my life. The arrogant mock me without restraint, but I do not turn from your law. I remember your ancient laws, O LORD, and I find comfort in them. Indignation grips me because of the wicked, who have forsaken your law. Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge. In the night I remember your name, O LORD, and I will keep your law. This has been my practice:  I obey your precepts. (Psalm 119:49-56)

Last week I joined millions of viewers who watched the series finale of E.R. on television.  I have enjoyed this drama series because it’s real.  It deals with the ups and downs of personal life, as well as the every day dramas that come into an emergency room.  Life is not always filled with happy endings, at least not on this earth.  The E.R. took in all kinds of patients and was constantly rushing from one patient to another.  The doctors had to make quick decisions and sometimes the results were not happy ones.

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Your Table is Ready

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)

I shook my head in disbelief. This couldn’t be the right place. After all, I couldn’t possibly be welcome here. I had been given an invitation several times, by several different people, and had finally decided to see what this place was all about. But, this just couldn’t be the right place. Quickly, I glanced down at the invitation that clutched in my hand. I scanned past the words, “Come as you are. No jacket required,” and found the location.

Yes, I was at the right place. I peered through the window again and saw a room of people whose faces seemed to glow with joy. All were neatly dressed, adorned in fine garments and appeared strangely clean as they dined at this exquisite restaurant. Ashamed, I looked down at my own tattered and torn clothing, covered in stains. I was dirty, in fact, filthy.

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