The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Wednesday
July 9, 2008
"I have called you back from the ends of the earth so you can serve me. For I
have chosen you and will not throw you away. Don't be afraid, for I am with you.
Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I
will uphold you with my victorious right hand."
Isaiah 41:9-10
For some reason the story of the Prodigal Son comes to mind as I read these words. Don't you know that young man felt he was in the pits of hell as he ate with the pigs? Don't you know he felt like a "throw away" person? As he sat there I believe the Spirit of God gave him a literal picture of his family sitting around the table enjoying fellowship and food. It was in that instant that he knew he had made a dreadfully wrong turn in his road of life. Yet, he knew to arise and return to his father for hope- unafraid.
One of my favorite songs is In Heaven's Eyes, by Sandi Patty. The
chorus proclaims,
"In Heaven's Eyes, there are no losers,
in Heaven's
Eyes, no hopeless cause.
There's only people like you,
with feelings
like me
and we are amazed at the grace we can find -
in Heaven's
Eyes."
Like the Prodigal, God has called us to Himself for a reason. There is a person in this world that only you can reach; a person afraid of love ¾ especially the love of God. There is a hand in this world that only you can hold and bring comfort to. Believe me; I know how hard it is to imagine that anything I could ever say would bring the hope of Jesus into another person's heart. Yet, time after time, God has shown me that in the moment when holding another person's hand, His Spirit makes the connection throughout all eternity and gives me the words of wisdom from His Word necessary.
Heavenly Father, I thank You and praise You for the truth that You hold our hand. I thank You for Your Word and how fresh and new it is every morning. I thank You for showing us that You indeed have a purpose for our lives other than the joy of living eternally with You. Help us, strengthen us this day as we reach out a hand of hope to the hurting and connect them with the hope of Christ.
