Time of Hope
Good Morning Friends,
Much of life is spent waiting, so what we do when we wait, what we feel when we wait is important. Some are waiting for Halloween, even as Christmas lights are being place in the palm trees. Some are waiting for Thanksgiving and indeed there is much for which to be thankful. Some are waiting for events and celebrations in the New Year. We all wait for something. What we need to realize is that it is really important to focus on our emotional condition when we wait. It is especially important when we understand that what we are waiting for is ultimately Jesus. Today we devote are attention to this Time of Hope.
Scripture: 61The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners;2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion— to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.4 They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.
Isaiah 61:1-4 (NRSV)
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life,* and the life was the light of all people.
John 1: 1-4 (NRSV)
16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise the words of prophets,*
21but test everything; hold fast to what is good; 22abstain from every form of evil.23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound* and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
Thessalonians 5:16-24 (NRSV)
Message: A friend of mine told me that 5% of the time, in even the most efficient of people, is spent just waiting… doing nothing visible. Well God has a plan for your 5% that will change the other 95% as well. Scripture tells us how God can fill this time by helping you to rejoice, pray and give thanks. Today’s scripture explores how He sanctifies us as we respond to this condition of waiting. The scripture also gives us a list of who is waiting and for what they are waiting. It is most instructive in helping us to understand the real time emotional conditions we have when we are waiting. The oppressed are waiting for good news, the broken-hearted waiting for love, the captives are waiting for liberty, the prisoners are waiting for release, there are those with desires waiting for God’s favor and justice, and mourners waiting for comfort. That these states of emptiness, despair, desire, agony and loss… that these inner states become an open door for God to act and to substitute gladness, a pregnant bliss, is the miracle of life, His light. Indeed Jesus is the way out of the emotional afflictions associated with waiting. So the next time you come to a red light, think of His light, of His Christmas star, of God acting in your life so you too can use the time you wait to discover new ways of building the kingdom, of sharing the light of His enlightenment, of helping others clean up their messes in preparation for His coming. Our time of waiting can be a time for God to prepare us for His baptism of our life, of our actions in Holy history. Our time of waiting is a time of preparation for His return.
Pray our hope of God is real. Pray we hope with confidence when we face adversity and fear. Pray our hope be a powerful thing that is the very help of God in our lives. Pray we have the hope of becoming new creatures in Christ. Pray we give hope to others. Pray we have a hope forged with gladness. Pray the substance of things for which we hope…is the love of God. Pray we have hope of a future with God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 