A world without hope?

Today, while waiting in line at Walmart, my soul was saddened and my heart was overwhelmed  and broken with a world in need, one family in particular brought this to the surface for me to contemplate. I saw a middle-aged mother abusing her child in the checkout line. She was hitting him, throwing him into the cart, choking him, literally dragging him and other details that hurt to write. There I was - with a cart full of items, standing in line with tears streaming down my face, not knowing what do so or what to say. I thought to myself, "If she does this in public, what does she do behind closed doors?"

How did our world get this way? Sin. A life without a Savior. A life without hope. Not only did my heart go out to the little boy being shoved and beaten; my heart went out to the mother. Maybe she was brought up the same way and doesn't know how to parent any other way. Maybe she is a lost soul; seeking something different, yet doesn't know how to find it. Maybe she is a single mother, struggling to make ends meet; no one to help her. You could be feeling a lot like the mother feels - alone, tired, not sure what to do. Or, perhaps you are like the little boy - being shoved in different directions, confused, hurting and not sure who or what to turn too. Brothers and sisters, I'm so thankful that there is hope - the hope of Jesus Christ!


Psalm 34:17-22
"The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;    
he delivers them from all their troubles.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted    
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
A righteous man may have many troubles,    
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.
Evil will slay the wicked;    
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
The LORD redeems his servants;    
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him."

Did you catch verse 17 above? "HE DELIVERS THEM FROM THEIR TROUBLES?"

We don't want to be controlled by our sinful nature, but by Jesus Christ! I encourage you today to examine which state you are in - are you feeling hopeless, alone and feel like you have no direction? Or, perhaps you can help OTHERS who are lacking hope and direction ...  John 16:13 says, "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."

Listen to this song - "OUR HOPE ENDURES" (link below) by Natalie Grant and reflect upon your state of hope and I challenge you to seek others who are feeling hopeless and offer them the good news of Jesus Christ!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1mu3F0dQz0