PASTOR’S CORNER, Elizabeth Morgan, First Church of the Nazarene, Liberal
“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you not to harm you, but give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
This verse is one of my most favorite verses in the Bible. In this Advent season, I am reminded that God is our only hope in every season.
In the past few months I have had to seek out God for hope after finding out I had Melanoma cancer. I was devastated and shocked, but was hopeful that God would heal it and that he still had a plan and future ahead for me. After surgery and a time of healing, our prayers were answered. Three weeks after surgery we found out all the cancer was removed during surgery. I am now cancer free and healing wonderfully! During times of feeling hopeless I was reminded of this verse in Isaiah 40:31 NIV:
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.”
So many times we have tried to count on people, money, jobs, relationships, and so on, but have discovered those things can let us down and we become weary. In this verse though, it reminds us that when we put our hope in the Lord, he will pick us up and lead us through those dark times. We don’t always have the strength on our own, but with God He can supply it when we have nothing else.
In this holiday season, many people forget the true meaning of Christmas. I try to think of it as “Christ”-mas and making him the reason for the season. In our world today, many have lost hope due to hardships or losses of loved ones, but God can give us hope through reading his word and praying daily to help us during those difficult times.
I would like to encourage you today that if you're going through a difficult time this season, remember that God can give you the hope to make it through it and will help you look towards a brighter future to come.
As we go about this week, remind yourself of God's many blessings upon your life this past year and think of ways you can be hopeful in the new year to come.
