You won’t be surprised that my head is currently full of lessons learned while hiking the Bruce Trail. There are places on the Bruce Trail where there are big hills to climb. Whether there is an actual hill to climb or a circumstance in our lives that seems as daunting as climbing a mountain, we look for courage to keep going. If we stand at the bottom of a rise and shake our heads and determine that we just can’t make it then we do not advance any further. God invites us to take a different approach. Our loving God invites us to accurately recognize that there are challenges too steep for us to manage and then to turn to Him to help us. When we pray and admit to God that we cannot climb alone, God is ready and waiting to help us. Consider this Scripture: 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and those who are young stumble and fall; 31 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 be faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31) Every day we can be turning to God in prayer and placing our hope in Him. We can trust God to renew our strength and to enable us to climb the hill before us. We do not just pray for ourselves. We also pray for others facing obstacles of all sorts. We ask God to help them and to show us what we can do to support them in their walk of faith. God has been good and wise in moving us to pray for each other. Together we claim His strength and grace for our journeys. Tomorrow August 23rd at 1 pm we will again pause for our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER. Wherever we are at that time, we can pause to lift each other up in prayer and we can affirm our dependence on God to supply the strength we need for the climb before us.
Hoping in the LORD, Pastor Lola
Thank You our God for the accurate perception that we cannot manage the hills of life by ourselves. Thank You that we can know that You are always available to help us. We declare our dependence on You and ask You to keep reminding us to come to You for strength. At this time, we do offer our prayers for all those who have been affected by wildfires. We realize that this is a frightening and uncertain time for many. For those who have had to leave their homes, we pray for reassurance. For those battling the fires and those seeking to help and support those who are displaced, we pray for courage and determination. Our prayer is that the fires will be brought under control. We think of those surveying what has been lost and wondering where they will live and how they will manage. Thank You that You are with them and can supply their needs. Thank You for strong community outreach to assist in a whole variety of ways. God, please guard us against a diminished response of compassion because the needs are so many and so persistent. At times we do feel overwhelmed by all that seems wrong in our world. Everywhere we turn there are multiple needs. This in itself could be the mountain before us that seems impossible to climb. Please show us when and how You want us to act on Your behalf to assist and encourage anyone facing a steep climb because of their circumstances. God, we do thank You for good things that are happening in the lives of people we know. We do not want the challenges we face to cause us to resent the blessings of others. As we find our strength and courage in You, we are grateful. As we witness You bringing strength and courage to others, we see answers to our prayers and want to keep on praying and trusting You. Again and again You reveal to us that when we are weak, You are strong. Your capacity for love and grace is unlimited. Thank You God for these summer months that have given us opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the world you have created. Thank You for evidence everywhere of Your intricate designs and for our ability to experience Your touch in nature and on us. Thank You for the gift of time spent with family and friends. We do pray for those who feel lonely and who do not have family and friends close by. We do pray for the living of each day as it comes. We cannot know what any day will hold, but You do God and so we again choose to commit ourselves and all the circumstances of our lives to You. We climb every mountain with You as our constant Guide and Source of hope and strength. And we openly acknowledge our dependence on You! In Jesus’ Powerful Name, AMEN.