Full of Hope

My family received some tough news yesterday about my brother-in-law. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and has a fight ahead. That kind of news knocks the breath out of my stomach. It’s hard to hear and my mind went back to my son’s battle with cancer that started just over 5 years ago. My son is cancer free and healthy. Here we go again. Cancer is no respecter of persons. I went to sleep this news on my mind and woke up to this morning. I’ve had a lot of conversations with the Lord since hearing the news yesterday and I’m sure the Lord and I will talk a lot more.

As I’m reading in the Psalms this morning, I was once again reminded of perspective. I need reminding a lot of the promises of God.  Check this out…

4 For the word of the Lord is right and true;

    he is faithful in all he does.

5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice;

    the earth is full of his unfailing love.

18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,

    on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

19 to deliver them from death

    and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the Lord;

    he is our help and our shield.

21 In him our hearts rejoice,

    for we trust in his holy name.

22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,

    even as we put our hope in you. (Psalm 33:4-5,18-22 NIV)

My hope – however long I live on this earth – is in Jesus. Creator God sent His one and only Son to come to earth and live a perfect life and become the final sacrifice for sin on behalf of all. He made a way for me to have direct access to Creator God. I have direct access to hope. I have direct access to the unfailing love. I have the benefit of His grace and His mercy all the days of my life.

Our family will be in shock as this story unfolds and the fight begins. I was reminded this morning that Hope is here. He never left. He is always here. I was reminded of a tag that Kari Jobe has on a song that says: “When You walk in the room, there is nothing like it”. The Presence of God changes my perspective on everything. There is a fight in my heart between fear and hope today – they can’t coexist. I’m giving hope permission to beat down the fear and help me lift my eyes to make eye contact with the Lord.

Pressing On!

Dwayne