Hope Reigns

I've been thinking this morning of several people I know who are struggling this Christmas. Some are struggling personally, some physically, some financially, some relationally. You name the category, people are struggling.

Then I read the Lectionary for today and ran across these verses in Psalm 147:

How good it is to sing praises to our God;
for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.

2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted,
and binds up their wounds.

4 He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.

5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.

6 The Lord lifts up the downtrodden;
he casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre.

8 He covers the heavens with clouds,
prepares rain for the earth,
makes grass grow on the hills.

9 He gives to the animals their food,
and to the young ravens when they cry.

10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;

11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.

These verses again remind me that God is big (kind of a silly understatement, huh?). But he is. So whatever is facing me - whether it's silly little things or big, huge, life-altering things, I can count on him. This God (that I don't understand), for whatever reason has chosen to come in the flesh to give meaning and purpose. God takes pleasure in those who fear him and in those who hope in his STEADFAST love.

So, I am becoming more comfortable with blogging my thoughts - which mostly just state the obvious. Here I go. It's ok to hope. It is right to hope. And it's ok to fear the Lord. When you look at the magnitude of who he is and what he's done, who wouldn't fear? And he knows us. He knows us like no other. To me that is a comfort. I like the thought of being with someone who 'gets' me - who knows the good and the bad and still loves me. I don't have to TRY to be anything other than who I am. Here's to hope.

Advent Action: Today is a day of hope. Allow yourself to feel it. If you don't feel it, allow yourself to think it. What are you hoping for? Lay that hope in the hands of the one who loves you like only a creator could.