By I loved seeing the beautiful autumn colors this weekend throughout our community. I cherish God’s beauty. The colors are magnificent. And where do they come from. God created this earth and the universe; the galaxies and the stars; the moon and the tides; the seasons and the oceans. When we see the changing colors of the leaves, do we for a second wonder if there will be a fall next year. When we see the high tide at the ocean, do we for a second wonder if there will be a low tide. There is no doubt that God’s wonders will continue to surround us here on earth.
Yet we wonder about the outcome to our illnesses and suffering. We hope to be healed. Many of us struggle with major illnesses or chronic illnesses. We hope for a cure. Many people in a remission hope the illness will not return,. Health and illness are on a continuum. We all live in a broken world with broken bodies.
“For I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
Why do we hope? Our future is at stake. Often, in our brokenness, we do not feel or see the promise from God. However, just as surely as the sun rose today and that the sun sets this evening, God provides for each of us.
Hope is commonly used as a word to replace wish. This use of the word hope refers to the wishes and desires of the person.
However, biblical hope is different. Biblical hope expresses the truth of what God has promised and the strength of His faithfulness.
What are you hoping for this week? How can you express that hope as a biblical hope? Each of us can actively pursue the hope that God has assured us in Jeremiah 29:11, through an active prayer life.
Enjoy the autumn beauty that God has provided as an assurance of his presence in nature and your lives.
