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I Will Hope
Andrea Lende • May 31, 2020
Psalm 71:14-15
I Will Hope
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/I-Will-Hope-eeqthi
Daily Word:
Psalm 71:14-15
“But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.”
“My mouth shall tell of Your righteous acts and of Your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is more than I know.”
My hope is in God.
There is nothing else that I can hope in.
He is Creator of all things.
He knew the end when He created the beginning.
All of His works are wonderful.
During a tumultuous time, I look to the skies and see their beauty.
I look at the trees and see their life-giving power.
I smell the first sign of rain and wonder at its lovely scent.
I look into the nighttime of darkness and am taken aback at the sun and moon as they switch places every day and every night.
I consider the colors that God chose to separate the heavens and the earth and smile at their beauty.
I look unto the mountains majesty and see the power of God.
There are so many wonders to look at, breathe in, and take notice of.
God created them all.
As the eruptions continue in our country, I look to the heavens.
I look to the Lord and find peace.
I seek His still gentle voice and whispers.
I ask for His help in obeying His voice.
He hides me in His care.
Today I choose to think on the Lord and all His miraculous creations and believe that He will lead me, my family, and this country to Him.
May you find that as you take notice of the beauty the Lord created that you will find His presence close by.
Daily Word:
O Lord, my God, thank You for Your beautiful creation. Thank You for the colors You chose for the grass, trees, skies, mountains, and seas. Thank You for placing me exactly where I am today. Thank You for this beautiful city, state, and country that house so many of Your wonderful creations. Keep me looking for You, Lord. Help me notice You in the wind, the sun, the stillness of the nighttime, the flowers that bloom, and the green grasses that sway to and fro. Help me enjoy the simple, yet glorious, parts of this world that You have given me. May Your peace settle over me and the household You have given me. May You fill their hearts with love, Lord. May they keep their eyes fixed on the beautiful and lovely and their hearts stay soft and moldable for You. Lead us and guide us in all we do, Lord. May Your protection be upon us. May You quiet the chaos of this world and touch every heart with Your love and peace. May Your perfect will be done. May no more harm be done. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM sending My Holy Spirit to minister to all people who will open their heart.
Response: May I be open to Your calling, Lord.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.