Day 4 of The Journey

Have you ever typed the word Hope into a bible search engine?  Over 2 pages of results in the book of Psalms alone!  I'm going to jump past Psalms a bit though today and onto Isaiah chapter 40.  Parts of this chapter were verses I clung on to for many years as a “life verse”.  Today we’re going to the very end of the chapter,

³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Run and not grow weary?  Walk and not faint?  Hmmmmmm?  Most of you will know that I have a condition called sleep apnoea.  Untreated sleep apnoea results in extreme daytime tiredness.  In the months leading up to my diagnosis and then treatment I was SO tired I was taking 3 or 4 hour naps each afternoon and still could not function normally.  For sleep apnoea sufferers and people with certain other medical conditions, verses like this sometimes seem like a distant dream. 

For people facing tough situations and life experiences I am sure it is the same. 

But God HAS promised.   He knows that we will face situations that bring us to our knees “Even youths grow tired and weary,and young men stumble and fall;”.  He knows that and he has promised a solution “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”

Are you tired?  Are you weary?  God has promised he WILL renew your strength if you will HOPE in him. 

So, what does it mean to Hope? One dictionary defines it as A wish or desire accompanied by confident expectation of its fulfillment.

Confident Expectation of its fulfilment.  Hmmm, kind of reminds me of Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we HOPE for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

Faith is the key to seeing our hopes fulfilled, it is what gives us that confident expectation.

Singing in the Night, Dancing in the Dark, Sunbathing in the Rain. 
It's about turning your face to heaven and believing that the drops that fall on it are heavens rain.
It's about standing in the face of circumstances that say otherwise and choosing to believe God's best.

You can check out the sites I link up to over in my sidebar. Before you go, why not check out my recipes index page, or my craft projects index page, I am sure you will find something there to interest you.