February 24 Devotion

Psalms 42:5 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 the help of His countenance.

HOPE!
Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, defines hope as 1. trust, reliance 2. desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment. Webster also defines faith as trust.

What is hope but a fulfillment of God's word to us of Grace. By accepting Grace we have hope that a better life is to be.I have witnessed in my life many instances where hope was what kept me going. The hope and faith that things will be better and they always are. Maybe not how I envisioned, but how God envisioned.

I have also witnessed many people that appeared to me to lack the hope needed to sustain a meaningful life. We've got to have hope. Hope that there is a "silver lining" and everything will be OK.

I wonder why we celebrate Easter in the season of spring when the trees are budding with new leaves, flowers are blooming all sorts of colorful beauty, people are getting out and about with the warmer weather, and life is just being renewed all around. Could it be that spring and Christ's resurrection is God giving us HOPE? I think so.

During this Easter Season I want to ask myself,
1. How can I show hope and faith to those around me?
2. What can I do to be a light of hope for the kingdom of God?

My dear gracious heavenly Father, thank you for the hope I carry in my heart every day. Guide me to be a beacon of hope to those around me. In thy gracious name I pray, Amen.

Kay Lewis