Weekend, November 28, 2020
Finding Hope Again
“For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease” (Job 14:7 nkjv).
Christmas is coming. We’ve celebrated Thanksgiving, followed by Black Friday sales, where people have been known to attack each other. Then there is Christmas, which kids love.
They find so much excitement in the Christmas season. They have hope for what’s to come. But for some people, this season is actually kind of hopeless. Maybe it’s a reminder that their lives aren’t going the way they wanted them to go.
Or maybe it’s a marker of time. At this time last year a certain loved one was with them who isn’t with them this year. Maybe something else has happened to make this a hard time of year, like an unexpected illness or a marriage that has unraveled.
We need to remember there’s always hope. A good acronym for HOPE is holding on with patient expectation. I think of Job, who effectively lost everything and everyone he held dear.
Talk about a guy who had a bad day. Apart from Jesus going to the cross, I don’t know if there’s anyone who’s ever had a worse day on this earth than Job.
He lost those who worked for him, and worst of all, he lost his own children. Yet the Bible tells us that despite this horrific chain of events, Job “arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped” (Job 1:20 nkjv).
Job still had hope. Later he said, “For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease” (Job 14:7 nkjv).
Sometimes, like Job, we are cut down in life. We think this is the end. Not necessarily. God can intervene. He can, as the Scriptures say, bring beauty out of ashes. He can bring new life.
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Grief is one of life’s most difficult challenges. Pastor Greg Laurie experienced this truth when his son Christopher passed away suddenly. Discover comfort and healing in times of pain as you read his book Hope for Hurting Hearts. Receive your copy as our gift for your donation of any amount to Harvest Ministries this month.
