A sense of hopefulness

BEING aware of a mass of different news stories, it appears there is a LOT of helplessness and hopelessness around at present.

Jesus lived in a world as broken as ours, with much cruelty within the national borders; there were wars and rumours of wars, famines, desperate poverty and extortionate wealth: an unfair legal and dishonest tax system –all the things we might see in our news broadcasts.

Everywhere Jesus went in that imperfect environment, He left people with a sense of hope – and not in their circumstances necessarily: people who were bowed down felt ‘lifted’, broken hearts were repaired, forgiveness dispensed, a sense of new life imparted. He had time for each who came to Him. Amongst many other things, Jesus came to show how humans were designed to live, in kindness, gentleness, graciousness, in an experience of the generous love of God, and to enable a person to live at peace in their inner being.

I am challenged to reflect the generous heart of our Father God in these areas, knowing He holds nothing against us, and to live in HIS generous hearted manner. God who has time for each of us, wants us to have time for ourselves and for our neighbour – whoever our neighbour might be!

We are His hands, His voice: we are His kindness, taking His words of healing. Small acts make a difference to our days: a smile, a thoughtful text or a passing ‘hello’ makes a difference to how we feel, and in some small way reflect the care our Father has for us, imparting a sense of hopefulness that He does care and is with us, whatever our circumstances may be.