January 12th - Reasons for Hope

With the terrible news of so many wars all over the world as well as natural disasters, like the wildfires sweeping across Los Angeles, it’s easy so soon after Christmas to become depressed, but Local Preacher Judy Tasker asked us to look up and remember that amongst it all there is reason to hope because Jesus has come.

 

In Isaiah Ch 43 vs 1 -7 the Jewish exiles in Babylon are told not to be afraid because nothing can come between them and the Lord’s protection, a message as relevant to us now as it was to them 2,500 years ago. It’s also a lesson that we should not become so involved with life around us that we forget about God and His Word.

 

Over Christmas we were encouraged to ‘Hush the Noise’ and concentrate on the real message of Christmas, the birth of Jesus our Saviour demonstrating God’s love for us and reminding us that we must make time to listen to - and for - God.

 

1 John Ch 4: 19 says that we love because God first loved us and that’s the message we are entrusted to pass on to those around us. There are many ways we can do this from offering our help to others personally, through our commitment to community organisations or by giving to the work of charities like Toy Box. Take a look at  https://toybox.org.uk/about

 

Take heart from Romans Ch 15 vs 13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

 

In God we have reason for hope. May the God of Hope go with you all throughout 2025.