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 A collective reflection on Hope, Peace, Joy, and LoveWednesday, December 4, 2024 |
| A Hope For All Of Us Colossians 1:27 If you’re anything like me, your mind and spirit ebb and flow with the rise and fall of hope. Hope for a good day, a new opportunity, a restored relationship. When my hope ebbs, receding far from where I find myself, I head outside to the forest. A walk among the trees unravels the twisting thoughts in my mind and clears my sight. I begin to breathe deeply. I begin to notice my surroundings. As my eyes and ears tune in to what is happening in that present moment, my spirit senses Jesus’ presence with me, too. When I tune in to Jesus in me, his Spirit with me, my concerns rise above my situation and needs, expanding to encompass the lives of those intersecting my path. I cease my worrying. My mind stops writing stories that aren’t really there. I often begin to pray. I pray that hope comes for a friend to find their faith and for a family member to experience the hope of Jesus. I pray for a dear one to be healed, for a heart to be softened. The incredible promise in this verse is for literally everyone – for you and me, for our dearest people, and for the hardest ones we try to avoid. This hope for the Gentiles means that ALL of us have access to the riches and glory of Christ in us. As my gaze this autumn has fallen on the many-colored leaves, the downed branches, the young saplings, and the mighty oaks soaring to the sky, I am reminded that we are all connected. This ecosystem we move in has the potential to help us all thrive. With the power of Jesus in me, the Holy Spirit, I can be a hope bringer to ALL who cross my path. With that assurance, I can’t NOT share hope. What does Jesus in me mean in my everyday coming and going? What does being a hope-bringer look like in your life? By Lisa Zulke PRAYER FOR TODAY Jesus, thank you for the gift of your Spirit with us. May your message of redemption, hope, and glory take deep root in my soul. May I be so filled in my time with you that your hope and strength radiate from me to those around me. Give me the eyes, ears and heart to be a hope bringer to ALL people. Amen. |
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