Irrational Hope CBO 2013

So, each year Christian Women Connection (formerly Women of the Church of God) puts out a Meditation Journal to coincide with the yearly Christ Birthday Offering. For many of the past 8 years I have been fortunate enough to have been asked to write a Meditation. [And I am absolutely positive that it has nothing to do with the fact that my wife is the person in charge of the offering and its various parts] While I know that not all of my friends attend a Church of God and I can safely assume that it is possible that even the ones that do may have not picked up a journal, let alone read my devotions I have decided that the next few blogs will cover my various devotionals. I hope that they may be of some use for you.

Irrational Hope - 2013

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

Have you ever realized that most times in order to be hopeful there has to be an element of irrationality to our thought processes? This dawned on me recently when, despite the dire circumstance and despite the fact that things seemed consistently more bleak my wife and I believed that things would work out. Yes, part of the reason that we had hope was because God had brought us through one thing after another not much worse for wear over the 7 or so years we have been married, but there was also that element of irrationality. That element that said no matter how bad things were or how bad things looked to be going, God would lead us through the storms, through the darkness.

I figure that Daniel felt similar when he was in the lion’s den, sure it was dark and scary, sure the lions were large and powerful and hungry, but he still believed that God would keep him safe.

I figure that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego felt similar when they faced a fiery furnace, sure they were on death’s doorstep, they could feel the heat from afar, and feel the flames up close, but their faith that God would rescue them never wavered.

I figure that Mary and Joseph felt similar when they were told that the baby would be God, sure she was a virgin, sure it seemed unlikely, but they believed in the messages they had received.

Perhaps today you are in the midst of the darkness, perhaps today you are in the midst of the storm, hold on to the irrationality of hope, because God will never leave nor forsake you.

+ Take a moment to remember what God has already brought you through; what steps can you take to not forget those times?

+ I mentioned just a few Biblical illustrations of people who had hope, who else comes to your mind?

Peace and Love,
Pastor K