Better Than Chocolate...

IS A KISS OF HOPE

"Taste and see that the Lord is good..."

Psalm 34:8



Sadness

Most of us have suffered The Blues, some more than others. We're not despondent or distraught, though we are a bit sad, maybe even a tad depressed. We don't think to call a friend−frankly, our struggle doesn't seem important enough. We aren't grabbing the tissue box, because tears aren't threatening to spill.

But we might find our fingers sneaking up on our favorite chocolates, that bag or box we keep hidden for moments like these. We bite into a piece...close our eyes...savor the taste. When it's gone, we slip another onto the tip of the tongue. Chocolate melts, caramel or cherries or marshmallows explode in our cheeks, tantalizing every bud.
 

Awesome Chocolate



Those luscious pieces of awesomeness

thwart the mission of The Blues...

for a moment.

 

But once the sweetness evaporates,

we find The Blues again enthusiastically

waving their arms, shouting,

"I'm still here."





 

Because ultimately we need something better than chocolate. We need something effective for long-lasting relief. Something that doesn't just spike our spirits for a moment, but instead, envelops us.  



Disappointment



 

We need a Kiss of Hope. Not a big dose. Just a booster shot. Because it's not that we actually lost hope. It's simply that small disappointments, the kick-ourselves-in-the-seat moments, or the little irritations of life have tarnished the luster of our hope.

 

 

 

• A friend coming in from out of town cancelled out on lunch. We soooo wanted to see her (or him).
• That favorite pair of jeans didn't zip up so easily this morning. The word "diet" makes us cringe-how has that word escaped banishment from the dictionary?
• The car spewed black smoke when we pulled onto the freeway. The hassle of dropping off and picking up the car from the repair shop spikes our blood pressure, as does the bill for services.

Chocolate won't bring our friend into town again. However, with that Kiss of Hope we find joy in anticipating her (or his) next visit.





Tipping the Scale

Likely, we won't shed pounds devouring chocolate kisses, but the Kiss of Hope, hope that we can tip the scale the other direction, helps us devise a plan for better eating choices.

 

Chocolate won't fix the car, but the Kiss of Hope drives us to pick up the phone and schedule an appointment for the repair.

 



Kisses of Hope...good even for the little disappointments in life.

Because God knows that chocolate is only a temporary fix for The Blues.

WHAT VERSE DO YOU FLIP TO WHEN

YOU COME DOWN WITH A CASE OF THE BLUES?
 

Further Reading:

• Matthew 10:29-31
• Psalm 84:11
• Psalm 145:16

At Our Fingertips

"Treasure my commandments within you...

write them on the tablet of your heart."

Psalm 119:105

 



Google It!

Fingertip Living - It's the way of the world.

Have a question? "Google It" and a selection of site choices appears.

Hungry? Press the keypad on the microwave: freezer to table top in six minutes.

Need to call home? Touch a button and the phone speed-dials a tune to connect us.

 

But what does fingertip living have to do with Hope?

Hope, too, is at our fingertips.

Hope-robbing Stress

Tough days can drain Hope faster than the kitchen sink drains dirty dishwater.

Maybe it's short-lived tensions like dawdling children, bumper-to-bumper traffic, or cranky bosses eating away at our Hope for an easy day.

Or maybe our Hope-robbing stress lingers day after day, month after month: A broken marriage. Aging parents. A Prodigal son or daughter. Mounting bills. 

It's not uncommon to run short of hope. Even the most hopeful people sometimes open the cupboard and find it bare of spirit-sustaining Hope. Oh that challenging days could find us driving to the market to fill our buggies with life-giving Hope! We'd hurry home to devour a bowl of Hope, and then wonder of wonders, we're restored!

Unfortunately, Hope isn't found on the grocery store shelf.

But the good news is...
Hope can be found wherever we may be.

A Scripture pops into our minds. Maybe we had memorized it because it touched our hearts at some time in the past. Maybe it flowed from the recesses of our brain to the forefront, a verse we heard somewhere along our journey. At home, at work, in the car, at the mall, at the movies, at a baseball game, at a bedside or grave side, the top of the mountain or the lowest of valleys−The Lord uses His Word to stir Hope in hope-starved hearts.

Hope at our Fingertips

Sometimes our need for Hope arises when we can slip away to a quiet place. We pick up our Bible, finger the pages until we land on a favorite passage. Our fingertips skim the lines until that perfect verse jumps off the page and inflames our hearts.


We cling to that scripture. Write it down. Hang it on the visor of the car. The refrigerator. The bathroom mirror. Until it sinks into the depths of our souls.

 

Hope at our fingertips.

Because our merciful, compassionate Father

does not want us to be without it.

What scriptures restore Hope to your heart?

Further Reading: 

• Psalm 111:4
• Psalm 145:17-19
• Proverbs 7:1,3

National Day of Prayer

"If my people who are called by My name

humble themselves and pray,

and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways,

then I will hear from heaven,

will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

 II Chronicles 7:14

National Day of Prayer

Read today's headlines?

Heard the newscaster's solemn voice?

Seen the disturbing, if not terrifying, video footage?

Surely most of us would agree... our nation needs prayer.

National Day of Prayer is an annual opportunity for Christians to set aside a period of time to communally pray for our nation. Many may attend a prayer service. Others enjoy the blessing of participating in a prayer walk hosted by a local church. Some may choose to pray privately. An internet search, the local newspaper, or church signage should direct us to a community gathering we can attend to pray for our nation.

Once we find our kneeling bench (whether physically or figuratively), where might we begin?

Heart of Prayer

II Chronicles 7:14 says that we should begin with a time of self-examination:
 

Humble ourselves.
Seek God's face.
Turn from our sinful ways.

Imagine God's throne room filled with His children whose hearts are postured to pray. Oh, that we would all enter that holy place.

The Word says if we do this:

 

God will hear from heaven.

God will forgive our sin.

 God will heal our land.

Isn't that what we yearn to see?

The healing of our land?

What hope fills our hearts with the thought that our prayers can move the hand of God!

Needs galore swirl around our minds, but Prayer Points might help us capture, center, and commune with God about the issues on our hearts.  

• Wisdom for Government officials, especially the President of the United States and his cabinet, senators and congressman, governors

• Safety for our Military and their families

• Racial Peace

• Loving Families and Churches

• Courage for Christians in the work place, especially for teachers in public schools, and folks who own their own businesses

• Excellence in education, from pre-school through university

• A Godly influence on Entertainment, from Movies to TV to Books to Music

Not an exhaustive list, but our God will guide each of our hearts along our unique prayer paths.



Cover America in Prayer

 

Thursday is National Day of Prayer.

How will you respond to God's call to
pray for our nation?

Further Reading:

• Ephesians 3:20
• James 5:16
• Job 42:2

 

The Valley of Forgiveness

"If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

I John 1:9 (NASB)



Collapsing at the Foot of the Cross

We've all been through
the Valley of Forgiveness, our first journey likely our most important one.

 

The walk down our personal road of pain, crawling up the stone-strewn hill, collapsing at the foot of the cross. Humbly raising our head. Feasting on the compassion in His eyes. Gazing at His purity and holiness−the unblemished Lamb of God.

Our need so great...His forgiveness even greater.

Maybe this first walk took years. Maybe it took only days.

The Valley of Forgiveness

But it's not the only time we'll travel through the Valley of Forgiveness.

Because we can't walk through life without being hurt, or without hurting someone else. And when that happens,

forgiveness is the road to healing. Long or short, this road awaits us, and if we do not travel it...

 

Our spirits weep

Our energy wanes

Our hope weakens

Worse, the harboring of an unforgiving spirit

disrupts our communing with the Lord.

No one is exempt from this need for forgiveness. Even David, the man after God's heart, walked many times through the Valley of Forgiveness. Psalm 51 reveals to us David's grief and grappling as he ponders his need and cries out for the great mercy of his Lord.

"Cleanse me from my sins." (v. 2)

"Create in me a clean heart." (v. 10)

"Do not cast me away from Thy presence." (v. 11)

"Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation." (v. 12)  

We should not be put off by a sojourn along this oft painful, but cleansing, restorative path. Rather, we should welcome it and rejoice that a remedy for life's hurts is available to us. A healing balm awaits, whether the injury be inflicted upon us, or by us.

Though there may a season of soul searching, or a period of suffering, the day will come when we are able to extend or request forgiveness. That act, that vital step of faith onto the Lord's masterful path to reconciled relationships, ultimately rockets our spirits from the valley floor to the mountain top. The exhilaration of resolution finds us lifting our arms to the heavens in thanksgiving for the strength and persistence to forge the Valley of Forgiveness.

Our Spirits Rejoice

Our spirits rejoice.

 

 Our energy soars.

 

Our hope strengthens.

 

 

 

 

 

How do you address the need to extend or receive forgiveness in your life?

Further Reading:

• Matthew 18:21-22
• Ephesians 4:32
• Colossians 3:13
• Psalm 51

The Heart of God

Passion Week - Sunday

"And when He approached,

He saw the city..."

Luke 19:41

 

 

The crowds wave palm branches.

 

The crowds line the road.

Waving palm branches, paving the way with leafy fronds.

Spreading garments along the road as the Lord, seated upon a colt, makes His way to Jerusalem.

"Hosanna!

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord;

Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" (Luke 19:38)

Every year on Palm Sunday, in our minds' eyes, we travel with the throng to Jerusalem. We envision the celebration, thrill with the adoration of the crowds. Shouts of praise enchant our ears and electrify our souls.

The Triumphal Entry - What a Day!

And...

We missed it.

At least I did...again.

Did you?

Miss the Heart of God?

Perhaps we were distracted by the wonder of the crowd. Perhaps the "Hosannas" deafened our ears. Or perhaps we are not as familiar with Luke's telling of The Triumphal Entry, since he is the only gospel writer who shares this poignant snippet.

 

When He came closer to Jerusalem,
He began to weep.

 

"But as He came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead,

He began to weep.

 'How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes...'"

Luke 19: 41,42

 

 

 

 

 

Many of the people had followed Jesus from Bethany where He had in recent days raised Lazarus from the dead. Maybe they thought this man who heals and performs miracles would somehow make life better for them. Maybe they hoped He might actually be the Messiah, the One expected to overthrow Roman rule. Maybe they planned to crown Him as their new King.

Indeed, He did come to make life better for them, just not in the manner they imagined.

Jesus began to weep. He did not weep for the Via Dolorosa which He knew lay ahead. He did not weep for the insults that would assail Him. He did not weep in anticipation of the whip lashing or the crown of thorns that would press into his skull, or for the nails that would pierce His hands or the sword that would stab His side.

He wept for the people. He wept because the longing for situational peace blinded their eyes to the indescribably superior peace that awaited them−Peace with God. Forgiveness. Reconciliation. Redemption through the shedding of blood by this very Man they praised on the road to Jerusalem.



The Heart of God

 

 

That's the Heart of God.

Poured out on the road between the Mount of Olives and the city of Jerusalem.

Amidst greenery and garments and shouts of Hosannas.

Approaching the Via Dolorosa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What do you treasure most about Palm Sunday?

Further Reading:

• Matthew 21:1-11
• Mark 11:1-10
• John 12:12-19

HOPE IN THE TRENCHES

"Why are you in despair, O my soul?

 And why have you become disturbed within me?

Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him

for the help of His presence."

Psalm 42:5 (NASB)

 









Hope in a trench.

Trenches.

Deeper than the valley.

Dark.

Desolate.

Dangerous.

The majority of us will never find ourselves in a trench.

But some of us will.

The word "trenches" brings to mind pictures of war fields, soldiers in harm's way, hunkered down in ditches, ducking from artillery fire while watching for enemy explosive devices that might find their mark. Sweat drips down sooty faces, a bitter taste on parched lips. The Question−"Will I make it out alive?"−swirls in their minds like the stinging smoke in their weary eyes.  

Too many souls have personally experienced the trenches of war. To countless men and women, we say, "Thank you for your service." To the memorialized, if we could, we would say, "Thank you for your sacrifice."

Most of us, however, have not suffered in the trenches of war. But there are other trenches where a number of us have found ourselves.

Persecution. Threatened because we profess Christ as Lord and Savior. In some nations the threat goes beyond words, and some of our brethren suffer torture while others succumb to physical death.

Abuse. Spousal and child abuse are part of everyday life in more homes than we can fathom. Sexual abuse−whether committed by family, friends, or strangers−sickens us.

Addiction: Christians are not immune to the devastating effects of drug, alcohol, and sexual addiction. In addition to the ongoing struggle to break free from its claws, addicts often finds their marriages, relationships and testimonies remain in jeopardy.

Might hopelessness snuff out the soul,

smother the hearts of those in the trenches?

 

God is our very present help.

It could. It would, if not for God. But God lives in the trenches. He is a very present help in the heat of battle, the despair of abuse, and the entrapments of addiction, dispensing hope like He spread manna and rained quail upon the Israelites in the desert.

He is a shout, a whisper, a heart-prayer away from calming a petrified soul with the balm of hope.

Sound too simple?

Consider a few saints whose testimonies of God's faithful presence saturate us with hope:

• David, fled from Saul, hiding in caves, in danger of capture and death.

• Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were bound and tossed into a blazing fire.

• Daniel was thrown into the lions' den.

Trapped in danger zones, these courageous men called upon God. He fueled them with hope. Ultimately, He delivered them from peril.



Our Balm of Hope



 

"I have set the Lord continually before me;

Because He is at my right hand,

I will not be shaken."

Psalm 16:8 (NASB)

 

 

 

 

"...He is at my right hand."

Where we are, He is. And where He is, there is hope.

Holy Father, hear the cries of our hearts for Your children who are suffering in the trenches. If we be one who is experiencing a fiery furnace or the strangling hands of an enemy, help us to call upon Your Name for an infusion of hope while we rest in You and watch for Your avenue of escape. If we are not among those in the trenches, we ask You, God of Grace and Mercy, to drench with hope those who live in danger zones, and to set a hedge of protection around them until freedom comes. Amen.

Further Reading:

• I Samuel 18:6-9, 28-29; 19:1

• Daniel 3:10-20

• Daniel 6:12-24

Heavenly Hope

"In my Father's house there are many dwelling places...

I go to prepare a place for you."

John 14:2 (NASB)

 

 

Might We Cross a
Bridge into Heaven?

What a magnificent promise! What Hope radiates from our hearts when we drink in this glorious truth−God the Son is preparing our forever home.

We cling to Hope, the confident expectation that when our earthly bodies die, God will intervene, and just as Jesus was resurrected from the dead, so will we be resurrected for good purposes−to spend eternity with our Great God.

What do we know about this heavenly home?

Of most importance−God will be there in all His Glory. A new heaven and a new earth. The new Jerusalem, splendidly described by the apostle John while under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Our dwelling place will be there, though its design and function remains a mystery to us...for now. And let us not forget, heaven embraces a host of saints, from centuries past as well as those we loved in our lifetime.

The promise of what won't be there can brighten our souls on the darkest of days, like brilliant white stars scattered across the darkest night sky.

 



The Promise of Heaven
Brightens our Souls

 

• No more tears
• No more death
• No more mourning
• No more crying
• No more pain
• No evil

 

 

Our imaginations cannot wrap around such a majestic picture!

Yet, this eternal perspective and confidence in our God fills us with inexplicable Heavenly Hope that carries us through our most difficult challenges. The day-to-day grind doesn't deplete our joy. Life-threatening injuries or illness don't rob us of inner peace. Gravesites of beloved spouses, family members, or friends don't exhibit headstones engraved THE END, but instead, display the glorious words of life and hope−THE BEGINNING.

Heavenly Hope−another gift to us from our loving, compassionate God.   

HAVE YOU EVER DEVOURED WHAT GOD'S

WORD SAYS ABOUT THINGS OF HEAVEN?

 

 

Further Reading:

Revelation Ch. 21