God of Hope

There is a passage in Scripture addressed directly to “the aged women” to which class I must confess I now belong! We are even reading the Daily Devotional “Traveling Toward Sunrise” which has been in our library for years but, until now, never felt it was appropriate. Now that we are embarking on the fourth quarter of a century, it is certainly appropriate. However, I am encouraged by, and concur with, today’s reading:- “Edwin Markham, the great poet, at age 80 wrote a poem entitled, “The Look Ahead.” I will spare you the poem, but its message is essentially,

 ”I am done with the years that were . . .

Now I turn to the future for wine and bread;

I have bidden the past adieu.

I laugh and lift my hands to the years ahead;

‘Come on, I am ready for you!’”

There is rarely a day or a week goes by but that I am blest by some words of Divine inspiration and encouragement, and I am thinking that this blog would be a good way to share them. Perhaps in that way I can fulfil my assignment (Titus 2:3-5) to encourage and teach particularly young mothers.

I know that some of you are being faced with very real challenges, concerns and problems; and the enemy of our souls is going forth “having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time.” (Rev. 12:12) But the same verse also tells us to “rejoice” – and we do rejoice in all that our Heavenly Father has done, is doing, and will yet do, for all who love Him.

Because my middle name is Hope, I am drawn to words from our Father which speak of Hope. Psalm 42 came to my attention recently, and speaks so reassuringly when we are tempted to be discouraged: “…Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? HOPE IN GOD, for I shall yet praise Him for His help. . .O my God, my soul is cast down within me. THEREFORE will I remember You. . .The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. . . HOPE IN GOD, for I shall yet praise Him Who is my health, and my God.”

Looking back on my travels over the hills and dales of life, I can vouch for the faithfulness and trustworthiness of our Heavenly Father. He not only loves and is loving, but IS LOVE (‘Agape’ in the original Greek), in the very essence of His being, and He will always literally wrap His arms of love around us when we turn to Him in simple child-like trust:- “Help, Daddy, I need you!”

“Now the GOD OF HOPE fill you with all joy and peace in believing. . . (Rom. 15:13)

This blogging is an entirely new idea to me and I’m not sure where it will go, but I would like to visit you this way on a somewhat regular basis. I invite you to write me any time if you need a listening ear or a word of encouragement.