Tuesday, October 22, 2013

By: Gwen Hitt

Hope Comes from Him

Psalm 31:24 He shall strengthen your heart, all you that hope in The Lord.

Lately, I have been receiving more and more personal requests to pray for the specific needs of my family, friends, and acquaintances - often in ordinary conversations. There are truly so many hurting individuals and devastating situations in our midst.

The focus scripture on the most recent Constant Friend Prayer Request update stresses the importance of seeking God's strength to keep our hope alive in ALL He can do in and through us. This scripture which is the one I chose for today's devotion is necessary for both the person who has been asked to pray as well as the person who needs the prayer. Often, the many needs that we encounter have the potential to become overwhelming...to cause us to question God's response to what we bring before Him.

But remember God's assurance to us in Deuteronomy 31:8 "The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."Oswald Chambers writes, "Human frailty is another thing that gets between God's words of assurance and our own words and thoughts. When we realize how feeble we are in facing difficulties, the difficulties become like giants, we become like grasshoppers, and God seems to be non-existent.

As Oswald Chambers wrote in the quote above, our human frailty causes us to fear both the dire circumstances that we face in life AND the situations we are entrusted to intercede for. In these times, we have to hold on to the truth that God does love us and will never leave us. We have to BELIEVE with our entire hearts that our God is a mighty God and that He DOES have the power to heal!!

I challenge you today to hold on to the "REPORT" of the Lord that says everything will be taken care of because He IS with us. Believe that everything you bring before Him has been placed in the most capable hands of all. Embrace the day and hold on to the truth that He has your best interest at heart, and then choose to "walk by FAITH and not sight".

Dear Lord, Luke 11:9 instructs "...ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you." I trust in You today to fill me with all of the strength that I need to keep my hope alive in Your awesome ability to answer my prayers in Your perfect way, Your perfect timing."

I thank You, my Jesus, for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and that God raised You from the grave so that I can have eternal life.