From Hope to Praise

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Psalm 43:5

Have you ever been so down that you just couldn’t even sing even in church? You don’t need to feel alone because even King David the writer of the song book of the Bible, came to that place; and said so not once, not twice but three different times. David had bravely faced had Goliath and defeated him, but when he found himself hunted by his father-in-law and some of the same soldiers with whom he had fought beside in battle he became discouraged. Then his wife was taken from him and given to another man and he was separated from his best friend Jonathan and was forced to hide in the countryside. That was when he reminded himself that he would again praise God because all his hope came from Him. Yes, there are times when we as believers struggle to praise God. But God’s word gives us hope so that at those exact moments we can say, “Hold on! This is not the end! There is still hope! I will praise Him again!

Hope for the Soul

God in Hiding

And I will wait upon the Lord , that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.
Isaiah 8:17 KJV

As I drove up the road this week I was greeted by a mother deer with two fawns. They lingered just long enough for me to snap a few shots then bounded off to a hidden place in the woods.

But God does not hide His face in that way. In fact it is our own sin and selfishness that hides his face from our eyes. No in fact our greatest hope is in a God who longs to be found!

A Life Worth Living

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15 ESV

Your life may be the only Bible someone else will come across. Live it true to the hope that God has pit inside us and they may stop to read

When we forget our eternal hope in Christ and begin focusing on the things of this world His light shines just a little less to the people around us. But when we sink under the waves, others will be sure to ask us what it felt like walking hand in hand with Jesus when we climb back into the boat!