Have you ever run low on hope? Maybe you\u2019ve felt totally hopeless. I\u2019ve had moments when I came close. But the Lord never lets me stay long in that place. Always he refreshes me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I found this precious promise: \u201cI will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint\u201d (Jeremiah 31:25 NIV).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Only the Lord can do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He has blessed me with an abundance of friends to encourage me along my journey. As I\u2019ve shared concerns that made my heart heavy, they\u2019ve listened, offered uplifting words, and prayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt will all work out,\u201d they\u2019d say. Their assurance did encourage me\u2026for a time. And then doubt and worry crept in again, leaving my heart heavy once more and running low on hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That forced me to seek the Lord\u2026to see what he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?\u201d (Matthew 26:53).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That should be enough for my situation.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible\u201d (Matthew 19:26).<\/p>\n\n\n\n I believe it!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him\u2026\u201d (2 Chronicles 16:9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lord, you\u2019ve got this!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God\u201d (Psalm 42:11).<\/p>\n\n\n\n You are my hope, now and forever.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope\u201d (Psalm 130:5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lord, I\u2019m not waiting on a circumstance to change. I\u2019m waiting on you to show yourself strong on my behalf.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And so I wait in hope. Why would I wait in hopelessness when I can wait in hope?<\/p>\n\n\n\nI wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope\u201d (Psalm 130:5). Lord, I\u2019m not waiting on a circumstance to change. I\u2019m waiting on you to show yourself strong on my behalf. And so I wait in hope. Why would I wait in\u2026 <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n Travel with me in your imagination to the tomb on Resurrection Morning. Some of Jesus\u2019 friends approached with supplies to give the body a proper burial, since the burial on that dark Friday had been hastened by Sabbath rules. Surely they were feeling hopeless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their teacher had been unjustly put to death\u2014a horrific murder by crucifixion for made-up charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Imagine their grief as they watched life drain from his battered body. He was their hope\u2014and it died with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I doubt there was much conversation as they made their way to the gravesite. Silenced by sorrow, they had no words to express their angst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus. Messiah. Christ. The Anointed One. Dead! With their own eyes, they\u2019d seen it happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What would become of his followers? No one knew. The disciples had scattered, afraid to be associated with this man who had been arrested, subjected to mock trials, and condemned to die.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The women came with sweet spices to anoint the body, not expecting to find hope. But there it was. An empty tomb!<\/p>\n\n\n\n An angel confirmed, \u201cHe is not here: for he is risen, as he said\u2026go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepluchre with fear and great joy: and did run to bring his disciples word\u201d (Matthew 28:6-8).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hope!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus had tried to prepare his followers. His death would not be the end of the story, he said. He would rise from the grave. But it was too preposterous for them to believe. It was just too outrageous to hope such an impossible thing could happen. But there was no arguing with an empty tomb.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJesus had tried to prepare his followers. His death would not be the end of the story, he said. He would rise from the grave. But it was too preposterous for them to believe. It was just too outrageous to hope such an impossible\u2026 <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n The women ran to spread the news. Jesus lives! Jesus lives!<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the next forty days he interacted with the disciples, inviting one\u2014forever known as Doubting Thomas\u2014to touch the scars in his hands, proving he was indeed the crucified\/risen Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He cooked fish for their breakfast. He gave them instructions for how to carry on his mission after he left them and promised another would come\u2014the Holy Spirit\u2014who would comfort and guide them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Go into all the world and make disciples, he said. And then\u2026in a moment, he was gone. Lifted into the clouds. (See Matthew 28:19 and Acts 1:1-9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today he is seated at the right hand of the Father, awaiting the command to return and take his children home. That\u2019s our glorious expectation!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, we deal with the reality of life on this earth, often bringing disappointment and unrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus said, \u201cThese things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world\u201d (John 16:33).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Feeling hopeless? Don\u2019t even think it. Because Christ lives, we have hope!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Would you tell me about a time when you felt hopeless and how our sweet Lord brought you through it? And I\u2019d be grateful if you\u2019d share this with your friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a9 Dianne Barker 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Scriptures from KJV unless noted)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Have you ever run low on hope? Maybe you\u2019ve felt totally hopeless. I\u2019ve had moments when I came close. But the Lord never lets me stay long in that place. Always he refreshes me. I found this precious promise: \u201cI will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint\u201d (Jeremiah 31:25 NIV). Only the Lord can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[515,520,521,9,518,519,438,517,516],"class_list":["post-1303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-because-christ-lives","tag-christ-arose","tag-crucifixion","tag-dianne-barker","tag-easter","tag-empty-tomb","tag-living-the-maximum-life","tag-resurrection","tag-we-have-hope"],"yoast_head":"\n