Where are you finding hope these days? There are many reasons that our hope feels threatened, but we can still return to that promise from Scripture, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” (Isaiah 40) We recognize when we keep on turning to God in prayer and looking to Him for strength that our hope does not rely on circumstances, but on our Lord. When we are carrying a particularly heavy burden, we wonder how much longer we can struggle along under it. When we hear the troubling news of our world, many wonder if there can be hope at all. It is our gift to be able to pray for hope to visit others besides just ourselves. When in really difficult times, God does remind us of our hope in Him and our strength is renewed. We can pray for a rekindling of hope in the Lord that will keep our eyes fixed on Him. We can also pray for those in The Ukraine and surrounding countries in what they are facing. In prayer, we hold on to hope. Our prayers can lift them up and renew their hope. When the sun is shining brightly, it can be easy to feel hopeful. When dark clouds overtake us, hope is much harder to see. This week we will be praying for the Lord to remind us of our hope in Him. And when our own strength is renewed through our hope in the Lord, let’s look for ways to lift others up who are weighed down with the cares of life. We have been praying for one of my coworkers whose sister and niece have been in danger in The Ukraine. I have received news that they have now escaped to Hungary. Praise God! Hope is a welcome experience when we have wondered if we could feel hopeful again. Please plan to join us for our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER tomorrow March 9th at 1 pm and we will affirm our hope in the Lord and look to Him to renew our strength.
Hoping in our LORD, Pastor Lola.
Our God of eternal hope we turn to You. Where else can we look for hope? You alone have the words of truth. You alone God can restore our souls and renew our strength. At times, it seems that all we hear and all we talk about is bad news. Our God we pray for eyes to recognize the places where You are at work and where hope is possible. Thank you for the huge outpouring of compassion for the plight of people in The Ukraine and for those who have recently escaped. Thank You God that our prayers surround them and that many have also been responding in practical ways to bring relief and comfort. Please remind us that everyone has times of need. We thank you for the blessing of being able to give and to know that what we give will help and can be used by You to renew someone’s strength. We long for those who have lost sight of hope to see it again because they are reminded that they can trust You and hope in You. Thank You God for the times that You prove us wrong when we think there is no hope. Wherever we go, we are praying to be messengers of hope. We pray that as people witness us holding on to hope in You that they will decide to do the same. With our renewed strength from You, we want to praise You and we want to commit ourselves to whatever ways You are inviting us to serve You. We want to be known as those who hope in You Lord and who as a result have our strength renewed. We offer this prayer with hope centered in You. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.