HOPE
(noun)
to cherish a desire with anticipation
(Merriam-Webster dictionary)
'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 (NIV)
In the UK, as the spring blossom begins to emerge and the earth changes colour from greys and browns to greens against the blue of the sky, we can cherish with anticipation the desire for the ‘cold winter’ of coronavirus limitations to be over.
What a winter it has been! Alongside the devastation of loss and challenge to health, the prolonged effect of this global pandemic has overwhelmed the strongest of hearts as fear wages its war against us — resulting in an overwhelming sense of weariness and fatigue.
As Christians, we haven’t been immune to the harsh wind that has blown across the world. We have had to adapt to new ways of worshipping and connecting with fellow believers.
We too have experienced the loss of family and friends. I am sure there were times when it felt like we were holding on to God by only our fingertips.
But there is something that we have as believers that sets us apart. Hope in the Lord. Isaiah 40:31 tells us: ‘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.'
Although these words were addressed to the people of Israel, they apply to all God’s people. As we trust God, unable to see what the future holds, His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
Hope is a mindset. It doesn’t ignore or deny the reality of the season or the circumstances but, despite all that’s going on around us, chooses to believe that God will bring beauty from the ashes that surround us.
Jesus came to bring us hope. When we hope in Him, He doesn’t let us down. Instead, He renews our strength and invites us to be bearers of hope to others.
As we bring our offering of prayer for MAF and those we serve over the coming months, let us ask our Father in heaven to soften our hearts in the areas where we have lost hope, to renew our anticipation at seeing His hand at work, and to help us to be a ‘blossom of hope’ this springtime and beyond.
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