Hope

The hope of God is eternal

Bridalveil Falls,Yosemite National Park. Being here is like visiting an old friend, having camped there many times over the years.

I found these verses today when I was reflecting on the last two weeks away….so many memories made, so much joy, and also the sorrow of parting, always mingled in. Why must life be so hard for so many? Why must we always have problems, sadness, mixed in with all the goodness? God answered me this way through the prophet Isaiah….

“Yes, my child, right now in this life there is always some sorrow, some disappointment mixed in with all the blessings, but, look now at what I have done! I have pointed to the hope and assurance that there will come a time when all will be restored, as it was meant to be, for I have promised it! And in the meantime, I have poured out My Spirit who gives a comfort that will never leave you. So that in spite of everything, you can have this perfect hope, and have it now.”

“Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field is considered as a forest.

Then justice will dwell in the wilderness and righteousness will abide in the fertile field. And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.

Then my people will live in a peaceful habitation, and in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places; and it will hail when the forest comes down, and the city will be utterly laid low.

How blessed will you be, you who sow beside all waters, who let out freely the ox and the donkey.” Isaiah 32: 15-20

This is the hope of His Word and it never fails! It cuts through everything with a hope that will last beyond this life, and this world. It will never die.

Hope in exile….

Originally posted last year….

Jeremiah 31:1-6

Jeremiah 31
1 “At that time,” declares the LORD, “I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they will be my people.”

2 This is what the LORD says:
“The people who survive the sword
will find favor in the desert;
I will come to give rest to Israel.”

3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, [a] saying:
“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

4 I will build you up again
and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel.
Again you will take up your tambourines
and go out to dance with the joyful.

5 Again you will plant vineyards
on the hills of Samaria;
the farmers will plant them
and enjoy their fruit.

6 There will be a day when watchmen cry out
on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
to the LORD our God.’ ”

When I read Jeremiah 30-33 the compassion of God seemed to leap from the page this morning as I was reading in my “prayer closet” I selected just a portion above….when I think of how many times Israel turned their backs on God and yet, He reached out to them with hope and healing, longing for their restoration.

What are you exiled from today? A child, a church, God, a marriage, a friendship? It seems in life there are many forms of exile we face, but God seeks to restore us; always there is hope. Cling to His word, there is promise there.

I close with this verse, again from Jeremiah, 33:3….”Call to Me, and I will answer you, and i will tell you great and mighty things,which you do not know.”

Earthen Vessels

“For we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves.” 2 Corinthians 4:7

“What do you do when you are always comparing yourself with other people? What do you do when you always feel that the people you talk to, hear of, or read about are more intelligent, more skillful, more attractive, more gentle, more generous, more practical, or more contemplative that you are? What do you do when you can’t get away from measuring yourself against others, always feeling that they are the real people while you are a nobody or even less than that?” Henri J. M. Nouwen, Genesee Diary

Sometimes I am surprised to know that successful people who have accomplished what I consider great things have the same feelings I have and I confess, it makes me feel better! Sometimes I feel like I have two selves, one that I concieve in my mind, the way I would like to be and react to people and things, and the real one, the one I actually see living my life. It’s crazy. Sometimes being human makes you feel crazy.

I open my Bible for a sanity check, I need God’s reality not my own. I read: “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” 2 Corinthians 10:12 and then in verse 18, “For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.”

Our world system is set up to disappoint us. It is a system masterminded by the enemy and will throw us into turmoil every time. There is always another who is smarter, better looking, more talented, one who does everything wrong and still gets rewarded, even one who seems be be more favored by God. But God’s kingdom has knocked Satan’s system off it axis for good. Everytime we try to live by that “old” system we get discouraged.

So today I bring you Good News…..you are a unique individual fashioned by God Himself and you are perfect! Nobody can do the things you do exactly the way you do them! Don’t fight the Potter, praise Him for His excellent workmanship instead! He has given us the honor of placing His precious Holy Spirit in our humble vessel, this humble clay jug, filled with Heaven’s light.

Forgive me, Lord for comparing myself to anyone else!

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14

Our future home…..

Grounds, Mt. Angel Abbey, St. Benedict, Oregon

What is the thing you most look forward to about Heaven, other than eternally being in God’s presence? For me, I think it is that there will be a sense of being totally “complete.” There will be a sense of rightness about it all. In this life we are always confronted with something that is just not fair, not right; there is a sense of something out of balance, even when things are right in our world, they are wrong for someone else.

I know people who are extremely happy about the immigration bill that just passed and some who are extremely upset by it. Some think it is “just” and some think it is “unjust.” Until we get to Heaven that is our reality on this earth. But here is true justice, there is a way we can all go to Heaven, because God is just!

Jesus made it possible. He took all that was wrong and made it right, permanently. This is not wishful thinking this is fact……”And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:3

Lord, I pray for people to find hope in You today. Circumstances change, but You never do. Thank you for the light of Your Word and Your Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth, comforts us in our distress and magnifies our joy. I pray that where there is confusion and darkness, Your light will shine forth as the noonday sun! In Jesus name, Amen.

Help for depression


A prayer for those depressed today…..
You feel just getting out of bed is a tremendous struggle, and small decisions are overwhelming. It is tangible, this presence, like a heavy cloak you can never get out from under….You are tired of carrying sacks.

Tired of carrying heavy sacks. Sacks of regrets, sacks of wrong choices, sacks of guilt for not feeling happy, not feeling like the free child of God that you are.

Life has become like flat gray fog of going through motions without joy; limbs feel impossibly heavy, like slogging through mud. You feel sad about this but helpless to do anything about it.

Even things that you should be looking forward to have become a burden and a worry.

Startlingly, you realize that it has been an incredibly long time since it has been springtime in your heart; although you can remember when it was and it feels like a distant dream, like maybe it happened to someone else, not you.

Take hope today, for He has heard you and already answered.
Please know that it will not always be this way.
Especially know this, you are not alone.

It takes tremendous courage to keep going, know that about yourself, you have not given up! Take hold of this one shred of evidence and take comfort.

And never believe the lie of Satan that tells you that you are this way because you don’t love God enough, or not as close to God as you should be, that you are doing something wrong.

Most of all, do not try to go through this valley alone. It may be that God’s answer to your prayer is the hand of a friend or loved one helping you out of the pit.

Get help from others who have walked this path and found their way to the other side. Most of all, know that you have placed your faith in the One who has conquered all shadows forever!

Remember the stone that was rolled away for you and me; may His healing power bloom life back into your heart today. Amen

Romans Ch. 8 v. 38-39. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Depression comes in many forms. I am no expert, just one who has felt these feelings from time to time in my own life. Sometimes it comes as a result of a tragic circumstance; sometimes it is a result of habitual negative thinking that forms a lifelong pattern. Hormones can play a big part too especially for women. The kind I am writing about today is the kind that comes for no particular reason, it just comes. I pray that if there is someone reading this that they confide in someone and get help, not try to fight this alone.

For one Pastor’s experience, go here

Refreshment for the soul


Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior…Titus 1:1-3

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7

In the muck and mire of life it is easy to forget these wonderful promises, but this morning they ran through my soul like cool clear water. Life is hard sometimes. We are so furiously treading water we forget to take a drink of the eternal water that is all around us. Sometimes I have no confidence at all that I am doing what God wants me to do. How can I be sure? But here is the hope. He knows how it feels to be human, he knows that we are weak because He has been weak, and tired. He knows that our frame is dust. Here is what I cling to:

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil. 1:6

This is one project that He will see through to completion!

Honesty


I loved the movie Liar, Liar because it made me think about what would happen if we all started to tell the whole truth. One of the characteristics that make a successful person to me is one who is not afraid to tell the truth in love.

Forthrightness is another word I would use to describe a person of character. It means to be an honest, frank or direct person. My best friend is such a person and that’s one of the things I love about her. You always know right where you stand. The other day she was in Subway and she made a comment that the sandwich would be a great deal if it only looked like the one in the advertisement. The young man at the counter immediately puffed up and said, “They do look just like that!” So she said, “Well then make me one that looks just like that, with the same amount of everything.” Silence…. and then warily, “Well, okay…do you want the foot long?” “Yes,” she said, “Just like the one on the picture.” And he did! If he hadn’t gotten so defensive I am sure she would have just let it go.

Sometimes it is very uncomfortable when we are confronted with the truth. Especially the truth about ourselves. When I decided to let God have ownership of a few things in my life a few years ago, it was painful. One thing he wanted me to address was my drinking. I always caught myself saying, “I have a glass of wine at dinner.” But God kept nudging at my heart. The Holy Spirit was trying to confront me with the truth. I didn’t have just one glass, I had 3. Every day! Back then I would go to Trader Joe’s on a weekend and get 3 bottles of 2 buck chuck and be perfectly okay with it. Really happy in fact. But I sensed God prodding me with questions, or maybe I started to ask myself….”Would you be as happy without this? How easy would it be to give this up? Am I not enough for you? Would you give it up for Me?” His voice was soft but insistent. And He knew I was ready to listen.

So I gave it up. I gave up its power over me. I remember the day I surrendered. I was sitting in the backyard under the tree enjoying the sunset, the outdoor cat sitting by my side; the last light dipping below the wall. That moment was like a benchmark for me. I remember that evening very fondly even now.

It was and is crucial for me to be truthful to God, myself, and someone I trust to be a safe place who will hold me accountable. I have learned that I can have a glass of wine now and then. But this I do this cautiously and prayerfully and I now know that I can successfully live without it, one day at a time, and only with His help.

Until we get to Heaven we will always have weaknesses or “thorns” we have to deal with. But we are in good company….and we don’t have to go it alone!

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Cor. 12:8,9

Peace and Hope


Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation. Psalm 91:14-16

This was a very encouraging verse for me today. I pray that this gives you comfort as well. Sometimes the circumstances of life cause us to feel totally out of control, but the truth is we never had control anyway! But we know the One who does. He always has had it, and He always will have it. And because of that, we can rest easier…..So take a deep breath, feel His calm and peace that passes all understanding overtake you. Though the fires are raging around us, we will not be burned!
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble….Psalm 46:1

God be with you…


A woman with a scarf over her head hoists her six-year-old up onto the first step of the school bus. “Goodbye,” she says.

A father on the phone with his freshman son has just finished bawling him out for his poor grades. There is mostly silence at the other end of the line. “Well, goodbye,” the father says.

When the girl at the airport hears the announcement that her plane is starting to board, she turns to the boy who is seeing her off. “I guess this is goodbye,” she says.

The noise of the traffic almost drowns out the sound of the word, but the shape of it lingers on the old man’s lips. He tries to look vigorous and resourceful as he holds out his hand to the other old man. “Goodbye.” This time they say it so nearly in unison that it makes them both smile.

It was a long while ago that the words, God be with you disappeared into the word goodbye, but every now and again some trace of them still glimmers through. Frederick Buechner

Yes, I would much prefer the phrase “God be with you.” According to Wikipidia, that is where the term “goodbye” comes from….I never knew!

Saying goodbye always feels wrong, there is something within our soul that rails against it as abnormal and unnatural. That is because it is. God never intended for us to ever have to part, in life or in death…..Because of what Jesus did, none of us have to face that “eternal” goodbye; so while we have this earthly sorrow now, we have that promise that we will see each other again in that place where goodbye is never uttered, that sorrow never felt.

Brothers and sisters, we don’t want you to be ignorant about those who have died. We don’t want you to grieve like other people who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13