‘…God, the source of hope, will fill you…with…peace…’ Romans 15:13 NLT
We often use the word ‘hope’ when we want something to happen but we’re not sure it will. We hope fixing the car won’t cost too much. We hope our children graduate. We hope the medical test goes well. But our hope isn’t wishful thinking; it’s trusting God. So how do you keep hope alive when you’re out of work? ‘God, the source of hope, will fill you…with…peace because you trust in Him.’ Jon Gordon says: ‘The media is creating a frenzy of panic…that is negatively impacting [our] collective psychology…people are more stressed than ever…like a horror movie, what you fear starts to happen…However, the economy isn’t some abstract entity…Our thoughts and behaviours create it. So how can we trust…when everything we’ve trusted in is falling apart? My answer: we’ve put our faith in the wrong things…and the cracks have been exposed. It’s a wake-up call. As Charles West says, "We turn to God for help when our foundations are shaking, only to learn that it is God who’s shaking them." Security is an illusion. There’s no power in a bank account…no peace in an investment portfolio…our true purpose isn’t in a retirement plan…We’re meant to trust God…true power exists not in what seems strong and secure, but in what is silent and unseen…Instead of starting your morning watching TV, take a walk of prayer; instead of looking down at the newspaper, look up to Heaven.’ Prayer: ‘Lord, sometimes my hopes are just wishes, but hoping in You is different; You give me solid ground. Today my hope is based on Your faithfulness and Your promise to meet my every need. Thank You; I know You‘ll do it. Amen.‘
SoulFood: Job 18-20, Matt 5:27-37, Ps 42:6-11, Pr 1:24-28
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2011
