May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or
terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with
you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Tim and I walked Rosie along the paved path at the local park. As we rounded a curve, we stopped. The night before, a storm had blown through and the wind had knocked over a couple of trees. We couldn’t see the path beyond the downed trees.
We had a choice, turn around and head the other direction or
climb through the mess and try to get to the other side. Wisdom told us to turn
and hike back along the path we’d taken. Out of curiosity, we walked all the
way around and checked out the other side of the fallen trees. By the time we
finished, a crew of groundskeepers arrived to clean up the trees.
When I saw the barrier, my first thought was, “What’s holding
me back?” Then I wondered, “How do I move forward?” Both good questions.
At times, I’m stopped in my tracks and have to reevaluate what
to do. Sometimes, I need to move forward past the obstacles in my way, other
times I need to turn around and reassess my circumstances. If we’d tried to
climb over the trees, I’m sure one of us (me) would’ve been injured. So why
chance it when I know it’s not the right move?
But there are times when God calls us to move forward, and it’s
scary, or I simply feel uncertain. In Deuteronomy, Moses is speaking to the
Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Moses is old and won’t
be going with them, but he reminds them of an important truth. God is going
with them. Moses calls them to be strong and courageous.
Every day I make choices. Sometimes roadblocks like fear and
discouragement stand in my way, even guilt over a decision that may affect
other people. God calls us to ask Him for guidance. He’s with us and He assures
us He listens and loves us.
With God by our side, we can be strong and courageous no
matter what tries to hold us back.
Acts 1:13-14
When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying.
Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas,
Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas
son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along
with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Prayer is not a last resort—it is our most powerful weapon.
A newspaper clipping was making the rounds on Facebook that
asked everyone to stop what they were doing and pray for our country for one
minute. If we as believers, in the power of prayer to our heavenly Father,
asked for deliverance, wisdom, and truth—imagine the outcome.
At times, I've flung up a prayer in desperation, not
realizing the powerful tool I had at my fingertips. Think about it, as a fumbling
human, I have the opportunity to speak directly to the Creator of the universe.
I can call on Him any time, and He hears me. That's incredible!
Not only does He hear me, He cares about whatever I'm
asking.
In Acts chapter one, the apostles and followers of Jesus
found themselves at a loss. Their beloved teacher and friend had died. Yes, he
rose from the grave, but his closest cohorts found themselves without their
friend and leader. They needed to move forward and establish the church but
were perplexed about the situation.
They didn't sit around and grumble—they prayed—and
not just a few words aimed toward God, they talked to Him constantly. The folks
who knew and loved Jesus talked to God all the time, to seek guidance and
direction for their lives and for the church.
These days I find I have much to pray about—folks
who are ill, our military, Christians who are suffering at the hands of evil, the
unrest in our country, my family and friends, my writing, and so much more.
God calls me to pray. To seek Him, to talk to Him about the
concerns of my heart. I won't get a better offer.
Pray constantly to the One who listens.
Matthew West sings the song of my heart, right now. Please,
take a listen.
Mark 1:1-3
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of
God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”—
“a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
It's baseball season.
I had the joy of attending a Cincinnati Reds baseball game
with my granddaughter and her boyfriend. We sat in my husband’s section, where
he ushers. Before the game, I was watching the behind-the-scenes action on the
field. One of the field crew smoothed the dirt with a drag matt he pulled
behind his small tractor. After he finished, a crew brought out a water hose
and doused the dirt. I had watched this process before, at other games, but at
this game it reminded me of how many people it takes to get things ready ahead
of time.
The folks in the concession stand, the ticket takers,
security, ushers and more, get the baseball stadium ready for the fans and
players.
Isaiah prophesied about the preparation for the coming
Messiah. John the Baptist got things ready. He preached of one coming who would
reconcile people with God. He prepared the way for Jesus. Without John, the
listeners may not have believed Jesus was the Son of God.
Jesus lived on this earth, died for our sins, and rose again
in victory over the grave. Now we have one more thing to prepare for. His return.
He’ll come on clouds of glory and welcome God’s children home.
How am I preparing for that? Reading the Bible to better
understand the life God wants me to lead. Praying for my loved ones and folks
in need and talking to God about my own salvation. Attempting to live a life
that reflects the love of Jesus on others. Loving God and loving people.
Be ready for Jesus’ return. He’s coming back.
