A Moment of Hope
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I've mentioned that winter is hard for me - the cold, wind, rain, the stormy weather, the short days. It tends to impact my body, and it makes me feel lonely. Winter is definitely not my favorite season.
But there is one day in winter that I look forward to every year… winter solstice!! Tuesday this week was our shortest day. That means we will start getting more sunlight and longer days. That is exciting. I heard someone say that winter solstice brings a little more light and with it a moment of hope. I like that.
Having hope is so important! It's important to all of us, but especially so if you are going through a difficult time. We need hope to keep going, to keep pressing forward. Hope is a simple but powerful tool that God has placed within us. We have to nourish it. We have to keep it alive in our hearts. We have to ask the Lord to fan the flames of hope if it's dying in our hearts. We have to feed on the promises in the Word that give us hope. We have to worship the Lord, the giver of all hope.
In hard times there is no middle ground. We must press into God and stir up hope in our hearts. If we don't, it's easy to harden our hearts towards Him. The purpose of suffering and hard times is to produce hope - not to diminish it or destroy it. Hope for change is what keeps us going. We serve a God of hope, and He loves to strengthen hope in our hearts.
I could not have made it through these last few years without hope. On hard days when my hope wavered, I called out to God and He fanned into flame the flickering light of hope in my heart. He was so faithful!
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13
"By steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope." Romans 15:4
"Hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he already sees. If we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." Romans 8:25
"Hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us." Romans 5:5
"I will hope continually and will praise thee yet more and more." Psalm 71:14
Being without hope is not a terminal disease. If our hope wavers, God wants to stir hope alive in our hearts again. My hope is stirred this week that longer days are coming. :)
During our years in Holland, YWAM purchased a building on one of the main squares in the city - across from the Central Train Station. Built in 1896, it was the former headquarters of the Salvation Army, but had fallen into the hands of first a cult group and then was used by squatters. The building was in horrible disrepair. Over the years we renovated it, and opened it as a ministry center. I was part of the team working to repair the building many years ago.
Thousands of people, cars, bicycles, tour boats, trams, and buses pass the building daily. At the top of the building in blue neon lights on one side it said "God Roept U" (God Calls You) - and on the other side it said "Jesus Loves You."
The building sits on one of the entrances into the red light district so it served as a reminder to those entering that God called them to Himself.
We named the building Samaritan's Inn, wanting it to be used as a ministry center to help those in need. For over 40 years now that has happened in a variety of ways. I recently received news that a refugee family from Ukraine was welcomed to live in the building in the apartment where we used to live. That was so special to hear! The building is still fulfilling its mandate to help those in need. I know Floyd's heart would be warmed to know this too. I’m trusting God to minister to them!
"A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, ' and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you have.' Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The expert in the law replied, 'The one who had mercy on him.' Jesus told him, 'Go and do likewise.' " Luke 10:30-37
I'm so grateful that the ministry center established so many years ago is continuing to serve in this way. I sometimes feel helpless to respond to the many refugees from the Ukraine war. In a very roundabout way, this feels like I've been able to help.
