Hope, in the Storm

In light of all that is happening in out nation and on our globe recently, God is continually drawing my thoughts toward scripture and songs about hope…a lasting hope found only in Him!
Two things would be much easier for my weak flesh to dwell on…fear and judgment. I could choose to believe the lies of the enemy, that nowhere is safe anymore, that God would stop the evil if He was loving and caring, and that there is no hope for this world. I could choose to focus on the evil, considering myself better than the ones behind the evil act, and believe there is no hope for them to be transformed. BUT GOD…loves a world plagued by evil and sin, SO MUCH that He sent Jesus to die, WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS! “My hope is in the Lord, from this time on and evermore!!” In the shadow of tragedies, personal and global, “(He is) our hiding place, our shield; our hope is in (the promises of) His Word” (Psalm 119:114). “(He) is our portion, therefore we hope in Him” (Lamentations 3:24). God has great plans for us, “to prosper us and not to harm us…to give us a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). Friends, if we don’t cling to the hope His Word speaks of and we are not able to “rejoice in our sufferings,” knowing this leads us to hope, we cannot show the world the hope of Christ! He is our cornerstone, holding us together, even during the storms of life. He has allowed tragedy, and we choose our reaction. I believe Christians are watched closely in the shadow of life’s storms, and if we allow our weakness to be made strong in His love, and we cling to hope, His light will shine bright on the darkest days our world faces! Our local church sang this song last weekend and, to me, it felt like a glimpse of Heaven. Whatever storms you may be facing, close your eyes and listen to this song, praying God will remind you He is Lord, Lord of ALL!
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=QvLxZEU02uI&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DQvLxZEU02uI