Saturday, December 3, 2016

Saturday, December 3, 2016
Psalm 42

I find that when I am despairing or fearful, it is because I have let my gaze slip from God's promises. I have put my hope in people or circumstances or worse yet, myself, and of course, have been disappointed – again. People don't often realize that they are letting us down in some way and certainly circumstances don't orient themselves just to help or hinder one person – namely me; yet somehow I still get disillusioned, losing hope, feeling like David. “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me?” (Psalm 42:11a)  Then I am reminded to “Hope in God...” (Psalm 42:11b) and to focus on God's promises that “all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28) and that God “has plans to prosper you...to give you a future filled with hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) There is so much reassurance in scripture that hoping in God is the right thing to do. It is not only good for our souls - it is, I believe, God's will.

“Happy are those ...whose hope is in the Lord their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them;” (Psalm 146:5-6) And if  reading hope-filled scripture about God's promises and about God's amazing creative power is not enough to restore my hope, going out into God's glorious creation and gazing at the stars or listening to the wind in the trees or feeling the rain on my face, makes the hope rise once more and restores my strength to wait in hopeful expectation, as Mary did, for God's promises to be fulfilled. I pray that this Advent season is a hope-filled one for you and leave you with this final scripture blessing:

“May the God of hope fill you with all the joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

– Nancy Scott