BRIGHTEN OUR HEARTS WITH HOPE: FURNISH

WEDNESDAY, WEEK ONE: HOPE

This step is a fun and creative task for me–adding the finishing touches to a room. As you envision your heart-room filled with the Hope of Christ, what would you add or include? Do you think of a sprouting tulip bulb or a package of seeds? A gift of encouragement received during a trying time? A cross-stitched Bible verse or quote? A photo of the sunrise? What one special symbol of Hope might brighten and uplift your spirit?

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For my symbol of Hope, my pair of walking shoes comes to mind. Over the years, I have aged from a young jogger who could manage a 10K run each year, to a swiftly paced, five-miles-a-day hiker, to a slowly sauntering walker who now covers about two miles–on good days. 😉

So, how is this my hopeful vision? My Hope comes from knowing that no matter my pace, God’s presence has remained with me every step of the way. Each time I lace up my shoes, I know I will feel God near… I will be inspired, comforted, or encouraged… I will be nurtured by God and God’s creation. I remember the many times I have been surprised, sustained, steadied, and even spoken to on one of my daily journeys.

And as I consider the future with my aging and gradually diminishing body, my Hope comes from knowing that one day God’s presence will be with me on the final journey home.

Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
    his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint
    and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
    and the young will fall exhausted,
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.
(Isaiah 40:28-31)

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Do you have special memories of God’s faithfulness, images of loving and supportive family and friends, or other experiences of Hope to hold in your heart today? Where do you see the Hope of Christ revealed in a tangible way? How might you shine with the tangible evidence of the Hope within you today?

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

Bible verses are NRSVUE, found at https://www.biblegateway.com/
Photo by Karen