by Lenore Buth
We’re all getting a bit antsy, aren’t we?
It’s easy to fix our attention on what’s “out there” and let it take root. In no time we start sounding as hopeless as peddlers of gloom on TV and social media.
Then our words about Jesus and faith sound hollow and meaningless. A wise man of long ago said it best: What you are speaks so loud I can't hear what you say.
It’s time to sprout some duck feathers
Ducks manage to swim in water, yet not get waterlogged.
Suppose we could swim in the “lake” of dismal news and simply float because we know the Truth: Our faithful God is still our refuge and strength, our ever-present help in trouble, as Psalm 46:1 promises.
To stay afloat we need to fix our eyes on Jesus our Savior and let him carry us through today, tomorrow and all our days.
St. Matthew kids always shout that truth during children’s sermons
Jesus is alive! He lives in us because he promised his followers—us—the Holy Spirit after he rose to be with the Father.
The only way to keep our balance is to rely on God’s truth, first and foremost. He who was there before the beginning of time is with us now. He is our strength and our hope, even in troubled waters. Take a moment to think on verses like these and know the truth of them is for you.
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. –Psalm 31:24 NIV
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. –Hebrews 10:23
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. –Psalm 31:24
This hope is a sure thing
As Pastor Brad often assures us, “hope” in the Bible is not meant in the same way we use that word. In God’s written word “hope” means certainty.
When we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior our hope of salvation is absolute fact.
It’s reassuring to read favorite Bible verses that speak of hope and comfort when we need a lift. Even better, speak them aloud, whether it’s the middle of the day or the middle of the night.
If we’re having trouble sleeping, it’s natural to think, “Oh, I’ll never get back to sleep!” Do that and tension will dig in for the night.
Help is at hand. Memorize this verse or others that speak to you and center your thoughts on its meaning. Then slowly, quietly repeat it to yourself as you would to an anxious child:
In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. –Psalm 4:8
No better lullabye exists.
Life will always be a fight between our human fears and what we know by faith
That’s been true since the beginning. The lesson for you and me is we always need to keep watch over our minds.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. –Proverbs 3:5-6
When waves of fear make our hearts pound we remind ourselves that God never leaves us on our own. It helps to fix our minds on verses like these from Psalm 121:
My help comes from the Lord ... He who keeps you will not slumber ...
The LORD is your keeper ... The LORD shall preserve you from all evil ...
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.
Whatever comes, we are safe in Jesus
Fear and doubt may surface once in awhile, but they won’t move in to stay when we keep our eyes on Jesus Christ, who is our life.
Our hope in Jesus is a certainty. His Spirit within us lets us hear the news but not be weighed down by it.
Let’s wrap his love around us and be at peace. Today. Tomorrow. Always.
Lenore Buth is glad to be part of the St. Matthew family and appreciates all the love and support. She has been writing for many years, including newspaper and magazine articles, as well as several books and some study materials for Concordia Publishing House.
She writes a weekly blog post and has kept it going since the summer of 2008. You can check it out at www.awomansview.typepad.com