Unwrapping Advent: Through Voices of Wisdom Dec. 6
Friday, December 6, 2024
Day 6
16 A king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 The war horse is a vain hope for victory,
and by its great might it cannot save.
18 Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 to deliver their soul from death
and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the Lord;
he is our help and shield.
21 Our heart is glad in him
because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.
Psalm 33:16-22, NRSVUE
We all have experienced hope. Hope it rains soon. Hope the traffic is lighter this morning. We hope, but we do not have any control over the outcome of these hopeful thoughts. We can’t do anything to make these hopes come true.
Yet, hope in God is not the worldly, ordinary hope we find in these hopes. It is the unordinary, extraordinary hope that comes from God, who is the believer’s source of hope.
Rather than ordinary hoping for better events, hope in God is seeking and trusting in God’s intervention in our lives:
God, open my heart and mind to ways of conserving water.
God, give me a forgiving and compassionate heart to the other drivers on the road this morning.
Romans 12:12 encourages us to “be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Reflect: What “ordinary” hope do you have for tomorrow? How can you change that into unordinary, extraordinary hope based on God?
Pray: Sweet Lord, open my heart to the joyful hope that only You can provide. Amen
Connie Layman
Prayer Tree Team