Category: Devotionals

Renewing our strength

Reflections based on Isaiah 40:10–31.

The last line of this passage describes a deep, inner strength, one that I have experienced even in the midst of draining times. We joined the church that my husband is now pastor of when it was first ‘planted’ from another church. There was just a tiny handful of us, so everything that needed doing was down to us. Staying within the leadership has meant that has continued to a certain degree – many other willing hands have joined but life can still be fraught. I certainly don’t always feel like I am soaring, but I notice such a difference when I bring all my everyday tasks before God and ask Him for inspiration, strength and concentration. 

I love this chapter from Isaiah as it seems to encompass so much of what we’ve looked at during our study of hope: God’s total sovereignty and power but also His deep care for us. While we may not understand everything He does, by placing our hope in Him we can indeed be renewed in our spirits.

Spend some time hidden away with Him today, allowing Him to minister to those areas you are beginning to feel weary in. And, as we enter the joyous season of Christmas, I recognise that for many it can be stressful and over busy, and for others painfully difficult. So may I leave you with a quote from our passage to dwell on. I love the image of His tender care:

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
    He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart.

Optional further reading: Psalm 62; Proverbs 23:17–18 and 24:14–20.

Wearing the hope of salvation

Reflections based on 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 and Ephesians 6:10–18.

‘since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.’ (1 Thessalonians 5:8)

I know the armour of God passage in Ephesians really well. I’ve done studies on it, and I make a huge effort to put on the armour of God each day so that I am equipped for the battle of life as a Christian – and I encourage others to do the same.

But, when I first started researching instances of hope in the Bible for this series, I was really struck by the Thessalonians passage. I don’t think I’d ever noticed the imagery used before: faith and love being the breastplate, and the hope of salvation our helmet. It really brought the armour to life for me in a new way.

The breastplate is called the breastplate of righteousness in the Ephesians passage. The plate covers our hearts, protecting what is the seat of our emotions, our sense of self-worth, trust etc. Faith and love being the ingredients that make up that breastplate makes so much sense!

The helmet of salvation protects our head – our mind – from the seeds of doubt that the enemy wants to place in it. He wants us to doubt our salvation as it makes us so ineffective. Putting on the helmet of the hope of salvation speaks to me of actively ensuring our hope is in the right place,. By putting it on we are reminding ourselves of the fact that we have a future hope in the saving work of Jesus Christ. 

Both these passages talk about the need to be alert and active. None of us know when Jesus will return and we need to live with an attitude of expectation. Wearing the armour, including the helmet of hope, is so important. As is being self-controlled and supportive of one another.

For prayer and reflection: Reflect on 1 Corinthians 13 and Colossians 1:5. I love this quote from Mick Brooks: ‘Love may be the greatest quality we can possess, but both love and faith depend upon hope’.

Hoping in the wrong things

Reflections based on Psalm 37:1–11 and 1 Timothy 6:17.

‘Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God…’ (1 Timothy 6:17)

If we are honest with ourselves, it is so easy to take our eyes off of God and focus on our circumstances, surroundings, peers etc. We can also spend ourselves going after a promotion / new job, a better car or holiday – even starting a family. None of those things are wrong in themselves, but if we put all our energies into them we also inevitably start putting our hope in them too. And that’s when it is easy to get our hopes dashed.

If we are overlooked in our career and see those that we believe are much less deserving take what we feel was our rightful place, then we can become bitter. Like Israel, we can easily forget what God has done for us, and compare ourselves to our ‘enemies’, feeling they are better off than us. But really it all boils down to who are we going to trust. Where does our hope lie? In our career, home, family, leisure activities?

The writer of Psalm 119 shows us where we should be putting our hope: ‘I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.’ (v147) How often do we turn to the Bible for inspiration and guidance when our hopes are disappointed? Is it our natural response – or the last port of call when desperation comes knocking? 

I love the reminder in Psalm 37 that, if we commit to trusting in God, we do not need to fear for our future, even when evil seems to flourish. We can take hold of the promise that we will inherit the land. We need to learn to keep our hope focused God and what He says rather than material things or earthly relationships.

For prayer and reflection: Think about anything you know you have put your hope in over and above God. Now pray and repent of doing that, asking God to help you to trust only in Him.

God’s last word

Reflections on Job 40:1–14; 42:1–6.

In Job 13:15 Job says, ‘Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.’ In our passages today Job gets the chance to defend himself to God. This was something he had been longing for throughout his discourse with his friends. He was probably hoping for total vindication by God, in order to show his friends how wrong they had been! But, when God gives him the chance to speak, Job realises he no longer needs to.

In chapter 38 God finally appears and starts by saying ‘Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?’ (v.4). He goes on to reveal His sovereignty through so many things that we do not understand. All the mysteries of nature have Him at their helm.

Once he has spoken, Job’s questions, complaints and demands melt away. Yes, what happened to Job seems totally unfair to our human eyes. But God, by His very nature, is just and fair and so whatever He decides to do, or allow, is fair – however hard that is for us to understand. Remember what we talked about in an earlier reflection? Do we lay down our rights to understand – even when we are hugely disappointed by what is going on around us or to us?

For Job, it was learning the certainty of the character and sovereignty of God that led him to the conclusion that, however inexplicable the circumstances, he could still trust and hope in Him. That, I believe, is the lesson of this book, of this character, for us today. That God wants us to hope in Him not because of what He can do for us, but simply because of who He is.

For prayer and reflection: Father I am sorry that I can view you like a slot machine – I put in my prayer and expect You to produce the answer
I want. I acknowledge You are sovereign, and do not work in ways that I am going to understand always. 

When things seem hopeless

Photo by mateen kazi from Pexels

Reflections based on Job 6:2–21.

‘What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient?’ (v.11)

I want to look at one more biblical character in our study on hope. I was drawn to Job, partly because I was surprised to see so many scriptures on hope within the book (although many are about the loss of hope). But it was mainly because, having looked at Hannah and David, I still had one more question. How do we keep hoping in God even when everything around us falls apart or is taken away?

Job was a righteous man that Satan said was only faithful because he hadn’t been tested. So God allowed him to take everything away from Job – his children, animals, servants – and afflicted him with painful sores. Even then he remained steadfast (see 2:10). It was when his friends started saying he must have sinned that Job began to question why he was suffering so much.

Job’s friends just didn’t seem to know how to cope with Job at this point. They believed he must need to repent and said that if he would put his trust back in God: ‘You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.’ (11:18). How often do we judge our friends, thinking that perhaps the difficulties they are facing are the result of sin? While it is important to challenge each other when necessary, we need to be careful that we don’t make wrong assumptions.

Look again at 6:8–13. Have you ever been in a place of suffering that is so bad you just longed to be allowed to give up? I have watched my mother suffer such constant physical pain that I know death would be a relief – and yet still she clings to her hope in God. She is an inspiration to me, and has taught me so much about trusting God through difficulties.

For prayer and reflection: Help me Lord not to judge my friends unfairly, or to lose hope in You when things around me are becoming difficult.

Finding hope through worship

Reflections based on Psalm 57.

Having had a break for half term, we are back to our study on hope. Scholars agree that this psalm was written during the same period as the one we looked at two weeks ago (Psalm 142). But here David seems to be more determined. Yes, he is still in the same situation of men pursuing him for his very life, and also unsure of whether any of his own are set to betray him (see v.4). However, right from the first verse David is declaring that his soul finds refuge in God alone. This sentiment appears numerous times throughout the psalms. For example, Psalm 119:114 says ‘You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.’

Throughout Psalm 57 we see a juxtaposition between the situation that David finds himself in and the truth about who God is. David is declaring who he has faith in, and where his hope lies, while being realistic about what is going on in his life. He also speaks to his soul, telling it to ‘awake’ and goes on to worship God in the final three verses.

This psalm talks to me about the importance of worship even in the midst of trials. I think that is one of the lessons that David learned while in the cave, and I also think it is one that God wants us all to learn through our own personal ‘caves’.

How do we come through difficulties still clinging to the hope we have in Him? By learning to set our hearts and minds to worship Him, even when it may be the last thing we ‘feel’ like doing. From a perspective of worship, our surroundings and circumstances can seem very different. David went on to be the greatest king of Israel and yet he had to learn this lesson – so must we. Believe me, I understand how painful praising through the pain can be, and yet I am totally convinced of how vital it is.

For prayer and reflection: God help me to quickly learn the benefits of worshipping you even when I may not feel like it. You are worthy, whatever I am going through, and I am sorry that I can forget that when I am feeling overwhelmed.

Fighting despair

Reflections based on 1 Samuel 22:1–6; Psalm 142.

Reading in Samuel, we discover that David is running from Saul and takes refuge in a cave. He had already been anointed king by Samuel at this point, but the current king was not ready to give up his throne. It is interesting to see how God allowed David to go through this time of testing. He didn’t simply triumphantly walk onto the throne: God worked on his character through these testing times.

David wrote a few of the psalms while hiding from Saul. In Psalm 142 he is totally overwhelmed and desperate. He believes no one cares about him. And yet, even in the depths of despair, he turns to God. He tells Him how he feels. This might seem shocking – he says to God ‘no-one is concerned for me’ when obviously deep down he knows that God is. But I believe this psalm is important because it shows us that God wants us to be honest with him, in the way that David is here. Notice that he does turn things around though, and it is when he remembers where his hope lies that things change for him. As we see in verse 2 of our Samuel passage, God brings 400 men to him who form the start of his army. While he may feel he is hiding away, God is giving him an opportunity to work on both his own character and the development of leadership skills to run an army.

How do you respond when the heat is turned up in your life? Do you have a tendency to wallow in self-pity? If so, try to articulate that to God rather than keeping it inside and dwelling on it. Then remind yourself that He is the only real source of strength and hope.

I have found that I can have a tendency to get stuck in negative emotions. Learning how to lament, using the psalms as guides, has been an incredibly helpful form of release. I try and articulate all of my emotions through writing them down, and then remember God’s faithfulness to me in the same way.

For prayer and reflection: I am sorry Lord when I hide away from You, too low even to speak. Help me to lift my eyes to You, be honest about how I feel but also remember that You are my hope.

A prayer of hope

Reflections based on 1 Samuel 2:1–21.

What a prayer! Hannah has just left her son with Eli, giving him back to God as she promised she would. How hard that must have been, and yet she goes away with her heart overflowing with the goodness of God. She knows she can trust Him not only with her own future, but with her son’s very life. This prayer is full of hope for all of us. It offers truths about who God is and what He does: ‘those who stumbled are armed with strength’, ‘those who were hungry are hungry no more’, ‘he… lifts the needy from the ash heap’.

Later in the passage we see Hannah’s hope bearing fruit once more. Juxtaposed against the sin that Eli’s sons were committing, we are told that ‘Samuel was ministering before the Lord’ (v.18). Hannah hadn’t had to give him up entirely – she got to visit him each year, no doubt watching him grow up to be the mighty man of God he became. But of course she had to return home without him, which must have been painful every time. However, God graciously blessed her with five other children. She couldn’t have expected that! 

Can you remember a time when you have had to wait patiently for something but then have seen how God’s timing was not only perfect but He also provided unexpected blessing too? I have seen God’s faithfulness time and time again in my own life. It doesn’t mean there aren’t hardships and frustrations – and I can’t say I like the waiting either! But I am beginning to understand that if we hope in God, He will fulfil all He has promised. Maybe not in the way we expect, but He knows best.

For prayer and reflection: Thank you God that you are totally trustworthy. I thank you for this reminder of how you do us good. Help me to remember these truths always.

A humble hope

Reflections based on 1 Samuel 1:12–20.

We are continuing to look at Hannah’s life this week. I think it would have been totally understandable if Hannah’s soul had been completely overtaken by bitterness. After all, she was being ridiculed by those around her, God hadn’t answered her prayers and even the priest thought badly of her – he asked if she was drunk! But she resolutely held her ground with God. Although troubled, she kept going back to Him. And through doing this, she seemed to push through the suffering and reach a new place of calm. Look at verses 15–18. She had been pouring out her soul to God in grief, but suddenly she gets up and eats, no longer full of sadness. We aren’t told what happened; whether what Eli the priest said to her encouraged her and/or, in her honest outpouring of her heart, she came to a place of leaving the pain with God. I would like to suggest that she learned the lesson of true humility – giving up her right to understand why she was having to wait. 

A few years ago I attended a women’s day with a speaker that challenged us on this very point. Do we cling to what we think is our ‘right’, demanding God give us answers and allowing our hearts to grow cold and bitter as a result? Or do we set our minds to hope in God whatever our circumstances, and lay down our rights to know the reasons behind any delay and disappointment? That day I learned to take a very honest look at my motivations, desires, hopes and dreams – and the self-pitying attitude that can appear at unhelpfully regular intervals. I hope that I, too, can learn to be as persistent, honest and humble as Hannah.

For prayer and reflection: God there is so much to learn from the life of Hannah. Please help me to lay down my rights to understand everything that happens to me, and to trust You always.

Persistent hope amongst the pain

Reflections based on 1 Samuel 1:1–11.

We are going to spend some time in the coming weeks taking a closer look at a few biblical characters to see what we can learn about hope from them, starting with Hannah. 

Hannah was unable to conceive, something that carried such stigma in Old Testament times because it heaped social embarrassment on the family. But, not only that, she was daily taunted by her husband’s other wife. I have not suffered the terrible pain of infertility, but I have close friends who have, and I know the deep-seated anguish that it carries. Indeed, Proverbs 13:12 says ‘Hope deferred makes the heart sick’, and I think that is a very accurate description of the pain and longing that is so keenly felt.

What can be hard to understand here is that it says ‘the Lord had closed her womb’. We are clearly being told that God has a purpose in this pain, although often when we read a passage like this all we can empathise with is the torment. Why would He do that? And why was Hannah so resolute in her actions?

This was a time when Israel had been taken over by the Philistines, and most of the people had turned their backs on God. Hannah’s husband was one of the few that still made the trip to sacrifice at the tabernacle. While there, Hannah would pour out her soul to God, learning to cling to Him through her sorrow and plead her cause to Him. She had no idea that the son God would provide would be the one to lead the Israelites to victory against the Philistines.

For prayer and reflection: Do you have any unfulfilled hopes and dreams that you are struggling with today? Take them to God again and ask Him to help you endure with patient faith as you wait.