Hope for today #18

Exodus 14:13
‘You will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.’

 
God’s people are on the move from Egypt and being pursued by their captors. As they look back and see the dust clouds being thrown up by hundreds of chariots, they begin to lose heart and fear for their lives. They complain to Moses and are on the verge of surrender. Moses encourages his people to stand firm because God is coming and will rescue them in their moment of danger.

Reflection
Sometimes all we have to do is stand firm and trust God.

QUOTE FOR TODAY
Drawing on historical Christian affirmations of hope, the most succinct line from early Christian communities is the one which ends the Nicene Creed: “We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”
 
(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 85)
 

Hope for today #17

Luke 5:26
‘Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”’

 
It would be a remarkable sight to see a paralysed man, who had been lowered down through a roof, restored to physical health walking home. For the man it would mean a dramatic change in his life going forward. But it was not just the physical that had been changed. There was also a spiritual transformation for his sins had been forgiven. A life had been transformed by the words of Jesus.

Reflection
Give thanks for every life that has been changed by the presence of Jesus.

QUOTE FOR TODAY
Christ has come and the kingdom has begun, even here, even now. We glimpse signs of this new creation as we see transformed lives, most poignantly when the baptized emerge from the waters – restored relationships, reconciliation, reversals of injustice, and more.
 
(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 2)
 

Hope for today #16

Nehemiah 1:11
‘”Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favour in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.’

 
It is the mid-5th century BC and although the Jerusalem temple has been rebuilt after the Babylonian exile the city walls lay in ruins. It was a source of shame for the returning exiles, and for Nehemiah. As a cupbearer, checking for poisoned drink and food, he had privileged access to the ruling foreign king, Artaxerxes. However, the request for leave and resources to rebuild the walls was preceded by mourning, fasting and prayer.

Reflection
What should we do to prepare for our own important ‘today’?

QUOTE FOR TODAY
… we wait with hope. We work with hope. And we worship with hope.
(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 2)
 

Hope for today #15

Luke 2:11
‘Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.’

 
I am sure that the shepherd’s night shift had begun normally enough. The handover from the day shift, a reporting of any issues and the building of a fire against the cold. But today was going to be unlike any day before or since. This is the day that the sky was cracked, the day that the darkness gave way to light, the day that made the angels sing, the day that shepherds trembled, the day that God’s promise has arrived.

Reflection
Just ordinary shepherds open to the things of God, are we?

QUOTE FOR TODAY
The ultimate hope of the world is the fully manifest presence of God.

(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 181)
 

Hope for today #14

Luke 23:43
‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’

 
The thief on the cross turns to Jesus for dignity and comfort and finds himself drawn into the circle of mercy and grace. Jesus promises him he will not be forgotten. Before the end of the day he will be with Jesus in paradise, the realm of eternal bliss in God’s presence where righteous persons go after death, “God’s garden,” an end-time image of new creation.

Reflection
Turn to Jesus for a taste of paradise today.

QUOTE FOR TODAY
… even death will be overcome in God’s new creation.

(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 73)
 

Hope for today #13

Luke 12:28
‘If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you – you of little faith!’

 
Jesus enlists the help of the ravens, the lilies and the grass of the field to teach his disciples not to worry but to trust in God’s provision instead. Consider how God ‘clothes the grass of the field’, with such care and attention. Trust God to do the same for us.

Reflection
Spend time in nature today and ask God to speak to you about your worries and to strengthen your faith.

QUOTE FOR TODAY
The church is to be a people who are straining forward even while our feet are in the moment.

(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 67)
 

Hope for today #12

Acts 26:6
‘And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today.’

 
On his way to Rome to stand trial Paul gets the opportunity to present his case to King Agrippa, a sympathetic man, “well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies” (Acts 26:3). Perhaps King Agrippa will appreciate the irony of his situation. Paul is standing trial for his hope in the resurrection, a hope he shares with his Jewish ancestors, a hope more real to him than ever because of his faith in the Risen Lord Jesus.

Reflection
What is your hope based on?

QUOTE FOR TODAY
Our hope is steadfast because our God is faithful. We know this because Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.

(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 200)
 

Hope for today #11

2 Chronicles 6:15
‘You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it – as it is today.’

 
At the dedication of the temple Solomon praises God for his faithfulness – promises have come true. It was Solomon’s joy and privilege to build the temple, but it was built on the foundation of David’s relationship with God.

Reflection
What is taking shape in the world as a result of your relationship with God?

QUOTE FOR TODAY
The church … is a community formed in hope.

(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 2)
 

Hope for today #10

Luke 4:21
‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’

 
The New Testament writers constantly point to Jesus as the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies. Here we see Jesus do the same, as he identifies himself and his mission with the Messianic prophecy in Isaiah 61:1-2. Notice the phrase, ‘in your hearing’. Jesus often said, ‘Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.’ (Mark 4:9)

Reflection
What scripture do you need to hear and take to heart today? Read it out loud.

QUOTE FOR TODAY
… the experience of God’s presence in the present moment of worship is in and of itself an experience of hope.

(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 182)
 

Hope for today #9

Deuteronomy 1:10
‘The Lord your God has increased your numbers so that today you are as numerous as the stars in the sky.’

 
Growth is a blessing, but it brings its own challenges. The people of Israel had grown so numerous that their leader, Moses, was feeling overwhelmed. He decided to seek out wise and respected leaders from the different tribes to help share the load.

Reflection
Give thanks for the areas of growth in your life, and ask God’s guidance on how to manage the growth wisely.

QUOTE FOR TODAY
The world to come will be not simply a return to how things were in Eden but the completion and perfection of creation. … Whatever things will be like there, it will be more, not less, than the best we have known here.

(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 193)