My good friend Roger is a hospital Chaplain in Hattiesburg, MS. [Yes, he sees Brett Favre occasionally but as a die-hard Cowboys fan, keeps a respectful distance]. He recently shared with me the story of two neighbors, Janice and Rita who stocked their shelves and prepared for the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Shortly after Katrina struck around 6:10 PM on August 28th, Janice and Rita realized they were in trouble. Water began coming under their front door and quickly rose to about 6 feet high. Janice and Rita climbed up on the mantle over their fireplace. As the water continued to rise they climbed the bookshelves beside the fireplace and hung on. Finally, sometime after midnight Janice said she just couldn’t hold on any more. Rita pleaded with her to keep trying, “just a little longer” she encouraged. “Help will surely come.” But Janice let go and succumbed to the muddy water and drowned. Rita held on as the floodwaters exceeded 8 feet. She had to punch a hole in the ceiling and stuck her head up into the rafters to get air. Eventually after 36 hours she was rescued.
My friend Roger saw Rita sitting in the waiting room of his hospital recently. He asked her why she was there and she told him, that Janice’s granddaughter was having a baby. It would have been her first great-grandchild. Rita lamented to the Chaplain, “If she had only held on. I tried everything to save her, but I couldn’t.”
As I think about that story I wonder if Janice ran out of strength or if she ran out of hope. Perhaps it was because she ran out of hope that she ran out of strength. Hope is a powerful motivator.
But an even more important question, is where do we find our hope. Is it based on our circumstances? Does it depend on our strength? Our human wisdom? I like this definition I read recently: “Hope is the result of faith based on the character and nature of God.” That’s exactly what we see in David as he writes Psalm 31 (I’d encourage you to read that if you need a hope transplant). Notice the foundation of David’s hope.
- “In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge .. (vs.1)
- “Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me..(vs. 2)
- “I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands; (vss. 14-15)
I like David’s parting words of advice for those who are barely hanging on—”Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” As David focused his attention on God he found the hope to continue. The same technique will work for us this morning. Focus on God and His power, not on your problems, and you will find the hope and the strength you need to be victorious.
Have a great week!
Pastor Barry
My friend Roger saw Rita sitting in the waiting room of his hospital recently. He asked her why she was there and she told him, that Janice’s granddaughter was having a baby. It would have been her first great-grandchild. Rita lamented to the Chaplain, “If she had only held on. I tried everything to save her, but I couldn’t.”
As I think about that story I wonder if Janice ran out of strength or if she ran out of hope. Perhaps it was because she ran out of hope that she ran out of strength. Hope is a powerful motivator.
But an even more important question, is where do we find our hope. Is it based on our circumstances? Does it depend on our strength? Our human wisdom? I like this definition I read recently: “Hope is the result of faith based on the character and nature of God.” That’s exactly what we see in David as he writes Psalm 31 (I’d encourage you to read that if you need a hope transplant). Notice the foundation of David’s hope.
- “In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge .. (vs.1)
- “Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me..(vs. 2)
- “I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands; (vss. 14-15)
I like David’s parting words of advice for those who are barely hanging on—”Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” As David focused his attention on God he found the hope to continue. The same technique will work for us this morning. Focus on God and His power, not on your problems, and you will find the hope and the strength you need to be victorious.
Have a great week!
Pastor Barry
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