Hope Renewed

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

But now Timothy has just returned, bringing us good news about your faith and love.  He reports that you always remember our visit with joy and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you.  So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith.  It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord.  How we thank God for you!  Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence.  Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith.  May God our Father and our Lord Jesus bring us to you very soon.  And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.  May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people.  Amen.  1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

A friend who, with her husband, is facing a mountain of medical problems recently shared how, even though she and her husband have faith that is strong, there are valleys of fear the enemy throws in their way.  I know how she feels, and so do you.  We can say that without shame or embarrassment, because one of the pillars of the New Testament fathers, apostle Paul, shared the same, being greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering.  That encouragement came as Timothy brought news of the Thessalonian believer’s faith “standing firm” which renewed his hopes for their strong witness.  Paul said that good news was like new life.  Paul’s faith is unquestioned, yet the “wear and tear” of years on the road battling human and spiritual opposition do take their toll. 

The apostle’s reaction, having his hope renewed, led to an outburst of joy that he might soon see those dear friends and be able to contribute (filling in the gaps of their faith). 

In this we stand certain…strong faith in Christ is what renews hope in hard times.  And with hope renewed for the downtrodden, oppressed, and marginalized, the result is greater vision for a future of God’s blessing.  This is what the church stands for, not building bigger sanctuaries, larger attendances, better programs, and slicker organizations; the church stands for the hope of Christ in each of us[1], a testament to the marvelous grace extended to all who, though unworthy, are willing to bend a knee at the cross.  It is the message of forgiveness and love, born in Heaven, fleshed-out on Calvary’s hill, and celebrated with every breath in those who have received Christ.

For You Today 

If you’re facing trouble of any sort, and any size, don’t manage it by yourself.  Just as my friend shared with her community, keep engaged with those of strong faith; it is there you will be in a perfect place to find your hope renewed.  And with that hope renewed and shared to others, you just might start an explosion of faith!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Today’s title Image from Pixabay.com  

Images without citation are in public domain or cited via weblinks.  

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©  

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[1] Colossians 1:27

Never Ending

Thursday, August 10, 2023

Today’s post is a message of hope written by Anna Murdock.

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me?  Seven times?”  “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!”  Matthew 18:21-22

I saw an older man

dressed in torn and dirty clothes.

He was in need of a shave

and surely a hot shower

would have felt good to him.

This man, walking along my route,

was mumbling to himself

and counting his fingers –

touching each finger to his thumb;

   first the right hand -

   one, two, three, four …

   then his left hand -

   one, two, three, four …

   then back to his right hand -

   one, two, three, four.

And so it went,

on and on

and on and on.

The counting seemed

to never end …

   from right hand to left,

   from finger to finger

   to finger to finger.

What was so important

to this man of the streets?

What words were needing

to come out and be spoken?

Was he just “another one of those”

who mumbled quietly

as they walked along

the roads of our lives?

As I continued my drive to work,

weary from the day before,

angry from two days before,

feeling very alone

from the week so far,

I too began to mumble

and count the ways

   to weariness,

   to anger,

   to aloneness.

How many times

am I to forgive

(both myself and others)?

From right hand to left,

from left hand to right,

and back to the right hand

again…

   from finger to finger

   to finger to finger …

   the counting seems

   to never end.

How many times and ways

are the words “Be not afraid”

whispered, written,

        shouted to all who fear …

               (and don’t we all fear)?

From right hand to left,

from left hand to right,

and back to the right hand

again…

   from finger to finger

   to finger to finger …

   the counting seems

   to never end.

And what about God’s Love?

How many times is this Love

   seen, felt, whispered,

    promised, given, and received?

From right hand to left,

from left hand to right,

and back to the right hand

again…

   from finger to finger

   to finger to finger …

   the counting seems

   to never end.

If this man is “one of those”,

who mumble and count,

then I am one as well …

one of those

who cannot fathom

  such forgiveness,

  such assurance,

  such Love ...

  for it is all

NEVER-ENDING.

                                      ©2011 anna murdock

For You Today 

Our last word today is how my friend Anna introduced this image…of us…

Jesus says, "Seventy-seven times. It is never-ending...this forgiveness."  May we see no end to forgiveness, no end to God's assurance, and no end to the Great Love that binds us together.  May the One who is without limits send us out to share this 'never-ending' good news with others.  This is the community of faith that we are called to be.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  

 

Title Image:    ©2011 Anna Murdock original work

Images without citation are in public domain.   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

A Hand in This

 

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel and make them ceremonially clean.  Do this by sprinkling them with the water of purification, and have them shave their entire body and wash their clothing.  Then they will be ceremonially clean.  Have them bring a young bull and a grain offering of choice flour moistened with olive oil, along with a second young bull for a sin offering.  Then assemble the whole community of Israel, and present the Levites at the entrance of the Tabernacle.  When you present the Levites before the Lord, the people of Israel must lay their hands on them.  Raising his hands, Aaron must then present the Levites to the Lord as a special offering from the people of Israel, thus dedicating them to the Lord’s service.  “Next the Levites will lay their hands on the heads of the young bulls.  Present one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the Lord, to purify the Levites and make them right with the Lord.  Then have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons, and raise your hands and present them as a special offering to the Lord.  In this way, you will set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel, and the Levites will belong to me.  After this, they may go into the Tabernacle to do their work, because you have purified them and presented them as a special offering.  “Of all the people of Israel, the Levites are reserved for me.  I have claimed them for myself in place of all the firstborn sons of the Israelites; I have taken the Levites as their substitutes.       Numbers 8: 5 - 16

What does the consecration of Levite priests to a life of sacrificing bulls 4,000 years ago have to do with life in the twenty-first century?

The answer to that question depends on whether or not you are part of a faith community.  If you’re (as many say today) spiritual, but not religious, the whole concept will be meaningless.  However, if the community of faith (the church, God’s family) has made its way into your bones and blood, you already get it!

The whole idea of ordination, or consecration, was God’s way of placing all hands in the pot.  Before the priests, those who would represent all the people, could serve, the people had to lay their hands on them, a sign of approval and asking God’s blessing on what they do.  Then Aaron, the chief priest, would offer the Levites (their service) to God.  In summary, everyone in the family had a hand in the ministry of the priests.  It was a declaration of faith, trust, promise, and humility; it is that for which Jesus died, to build His church, a forever family.

If you belong to a church you must be aware that it is not like belonging to Sam’s Club, or some Time Share, where you go get what you want, when you want it.  It isn’t Amazon, where you shop and click.  Rather, it is family, a place where needs are met (certainly), but a place where you serve, and are counted upon to meet other’s needs.  It’s a place where humility before God in worship and giving one’s life for others is more than a slogan; it’s our way of life.

Faithfulness to the consecration of priests, and those they represent, is a given in God’s Word; it should be the expected-norm of life’s activity of God’s people, in reaching out to the community of other believers, and to the sea of non-believers.  We are a family with a purpose.  And that purpose is not to build a little empire on the corner of this street or that for the bragging rights of the pastor, or the pride of the members.  Our purpose is building a Kingdom for the King of Kings.

For You Today

If you are a member of a church, one of the things God expects from you is that, the hand that was in it from your first day in God’s family, is still in it every day you breathe, until God takes you home.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day! 

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[1] Title Image: Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©