I don’t know what you have on your plate today, but I do know that Jesus is right there with you.
He’s your stronghold, comforter, warrior, healer, provider, mender of broken hearts, and your best friend. He intimately knows every situation you are facing.
Just say His name. Ask for His presence and His help. He hears you. No need for long-winded, big-worded monologues. He’s with you and He’s already working things out, making things right, and putting people and things in their proper place.
If you can’t see it or feel it right now, that’s okay. I pray that hope and trust wrap you up tightly, speaking the exact words you need directly to your heart.
Even in the vastness of the heavens, the intricate placement of each galaxy, the planets, and stars God sees you. You are never lost to Him in the enormity of creation. Your name is written on the palm of His hand – cherished, loved, and perfectly known. Every sigh, every tear, every mask you wear, and every thought you have is completely and fully known.
It amazes me. It always does. Such love and depth of being seen is scary, but so comforting at the same time. So hopeful.
Nothing separates you from Him. Be at peace. He is near and loves you with a fierceness that is beyond what the human mind can conceive. Safety. Rest.
Jesus smiling at me… When I slow down and let the image come to me, it is breathtaking.
A smile from another human shows acknowledgement. I am seen. The space I occupy is recognized and validated. And sometimes the smile is genuine, friendly, and true.
But, the smile of Jesus’ face shining on me takes it to a whole new level. There is no ulterior motive, social politeness, underhanded intentions, or false friendliness. He isn’t buttering me up before asking something of me, or figuring out what He can get from me at no cost to Himself.
His face full of kindness, empathy, and wisdom. He knows all of me. The ick, the good, and all the in-between and He still smiles at me. Accepts me. I’m seen, I’m noticed, I’m wanted, and sought out. The delight in being with me shows in His eyes – the way people’s eyes light up at the sight of one that they love, but on a much deeper level.
He isn’t seeking what He can get from me. He’s seeking me out. He wants to bless me, protect and provide for me. His smile reminds me that I’m loved beyond what I can understand just for who I am. In His smile, there is healing and hope. I feel safe. His smile shining on me is powerful. The One who’s footstool is the Earth, the One who’s name is the foundation of all life, the One who is Warrior and Good Shepherd looks at me, and He looks at you, and smiles. He is gentle and fierce, kind and wise, Creator and King. He smile of His face shines on us because He delights in us.
When I envision the Lord being my shield, it transforms how I imagine myself walking through this day of unknowns.
I think we are often completely unaware of the pitfalls, near misses, and battles going on around us that we are protected from daily. The Lord shields us from so much.
The fender bender that ruins our day, makes us late, and costs us money…did the Lord shield us from something far worse?
The random encounter with an unsavory stranger that left us shaken…did the Lord block the evil intentions that could have gone a different and terrible way?
The beautiful and precious time spent with Him that was uninterrupted…did He shield us from distractions so we could be filled up, loved on, and encounter Him?
This verse really spoke to me. It’s been a hard around here lately. We’re tired and rough around the edges. I wonder what else Jesus has shielded us from?
I am so grateful that the Lord of Heaven, Prince of Peace, and King of Kings sees me and chooses to shield me and lift my head when the harder days come. It’s a beautiful and comforting thing to be seen and deeply loved by Jesus. He loves you, too. Peace be with you.
“For forty years I led you through the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out.” Deuteronomy 29:5 NLT
Something about this tugged at my spirit as I read it.
The Lord led the Israelites for forty years through unforgiving desolate places. How exhausting, how defeating, how infuriating it must have felt a lot of the time as they battled sand, wild animals, and exhaustion on every level. They didn’t want to be in this fierce and untamed wilderness. It isn’t what they thought it would be when the Lord said He was rescuing them.
Yet…the goodness of God. For forty years He kept their shoes and clothing from wearing out. An absolute necessity for the areas they were traveling through to have good clothing to protect their skin and solid shoes to protect their feet as they walked the road He laid out for them.
He had to remind them of the ways He had protected them and looked out for their basic well-being.
Reading this verse gave me hope. Hope that this season I’m in has divine purpose. That I’m not forgotten in an untamed, desolate wilderness. I’m walking through what He knows I need to walk through whether or not I see the merit or understand the big picture of what this season will produce once I’m on the other side. There is another side. He is going with me, He’s before me, and surrounding me on all sides. He’s there for you in this way, too.
Hope and gratitude bubble up in my heart as I see that my shoes and clothes haven’t worn out yet. My feet can still move me forward, even at a limp sometimes, on this path that I often don’t like or want to be walking.
Looking beyond the frustrations, fear, and disappointments, I know without a doubt that He has shielded and protected me from far worse things. I’ve gotten glimpses of those things, people, and situations and I am so grateful He loves me enough to block, rebuke, and protect me from them. He filters every single thing that touches me or those I love through His scarred hands.
Wherever we are on our life journey, perhaps there’s room for some hope for what’s to come, and gratitude that our provision hasn’t run out, even when it doesn’t look like what we think it should. He is providing for us. Maybe we can look at where we are today with a different lens and find glimpses of His goodness, His kindness, and provision in unexpected places. Not to minimize or dismiss the hard things, but to bring hope, peace, and the knowledge of how deeply we are loved into the mix.
What does hope look like to you? Does it have a “feel”?
These images pop into my mind:
*rolling green hills that seem to go for miles. There’s room to breathe, to wander, to see what might come next. The green feels hopeful and kind.
*a path in the forest. The feeling of being tucked into nature, sheltered under the tree canopy, curiosity about where the path will lead, and what treasures I will find feels hopeful and welcoming.
*early mornings, sunrises, warm coffee, nature in my backyard. The new growth and buds on the trees and flowering plants, the varying colors and scents, the tranquil hum of bees and critters is calming. It feels like hope, like possibilities.
In all of these things, it feels like Jesus meets me there with friendship, healing, deep conversations, and revelations. All of this feels like hope.
I would love to hear about what hope looks like, feels like, or sounds like to you – please share!
Extravagant Hope 