Hope for Today's Heart: hope in the Lord

Saturday, July 4, 2020

Trusting a Swing

Psalm 9:9-10

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

God has called me on an adventure of faith and trust.

When Hannah worked at Camp Lookup, I spent a week with her exploring the beautiful setting and experiencing an adventure. I hiked around the lake, met a little snake while I relaxed in the gazebo, and took photos of all the beautiful azaleas. Then the adventure happened. The camp has this huge swing that holds two people. Hannah and I climbed on the double seat and latched our harnesses (that's enough to scare a person.) A camp worker grabbed the rope and launched us into the sky. And yes, I screamed like a baby. But I had fun and trusted the swing to hold in place. As we sailed through the air, I believed I would be safely pulled back to the ground.

In Hebrews 11:1 the writer tells us, "faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Hannah had assured me the swing was safe or they couldn't use it for campers. Made sense. If I could trust something so simple as a swing, how could I not trust the God of the universe.

The "hall of faith" in Chapter 11 lists many Old Testament warriors who had faith in God, even as they lived in uncertainty.

We are living in chaotic times. Anger, hate, and judgment mixed with opinions, sickness, and financial burdens cause faith to slip. Trust rings hollow. Yet, God remains the same. He's still there for me to depend on. He's still there for me to run to. I'm confident in the hope I have in Jesus. I trust him to see me through the hard times and celebrate with me in the great times. God hasn't gone anywhere. He's still my refuge.

Have faith in the one who loves you more than you know.

Saturday, June 20, 2020

A Harvest of Hope

Psalm 33:20-22

We wait in hope for the Lord;
    he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
    for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
    even as we put our hope in you.

When I was young, we planted a garden. A big garden.

Dad plowed the space and created rows for us to plant corn, green beans, tomatoes, peas, and other good veggies. And he planted a section, down the hill from our pond, meant just for potatoes; which seemed gigantic in my young mind. Dad hoped to grow an abundance of food.

When it came time to harvest and put up the bounty, it was all hands on deck. My brothers, cousin, and I grabbed baskets and plucked beans and ears of corn off those beautiful plants. Later when we shucked the corn, I hated finding those gross, little worms that ate into the kernels. I did enjoy the relaxing rhythm of breaking beans and shelling peas. When the potatoes matured, we searched for them as if they were Easter eggs buried in the rich soil.

I look back on those days and remember how we all worked together. Dad plowed and planted, we picked, snapped, and shucked. Mom, Grammy, my sister and aunt canned multiple quarts of tomatoes and beans and froze bag upon bag of corn. We ran into snags along the way, too much rain or not enough and animals and insects who feasted on the plants. Yet, we still received a full bounty of food for the winter.

In these difficult times, the hope I have in Jesus gets me out of bed in the morning. I pray every day for peace, even as I harvest hope and store it up for times like these.

When life goes through winter seasons of bleakness and fear, the hope that fills my heart gives me courage to face each day.

Plant God's hope in your heart and encourage it to grow.