Hope
Sue and I are Phillies fans. She classifies me in the die-hard fan category as I may even replay games on the TV after they have lost. We have shared a partial-season ticket plan with three other couples for over 10 years. We have attended Phillies games at Citizens Bank Park in years when they have been really bad, in other years when they have been rather good, and this year when they have been great.
When the Phillies win a home game, a video of their former tv play-by-play announcer, the late Harry Kalas, is played on the Jumbotron screen. In the video, Harry sings the song, High Hopes, a song about a determined ant who takes on the daunting task of felling a rubber tree plant. And, “Oops. There goes another rubber tree plant,” is a repeated lyric that leaves the impression the ant has been successful.
High hopes. The Bible is replete with verses that speak about hope. There are verses about our hope in the Lord, such as Isaiah 40:31:
But those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
There are verses about hope in our lives, such as Jeremiah 29:11:
For I know the plans I have for you, declares
the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to
harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Some of my prayers are based on my hope for positive outcomes in life situations. Among other things, I am currently praying:
For a close friend and his continuing recovery from an extremely serious and debilitating side effect of long Covid
That democracy in our country will survive the current political turmoil
That lasting peace can be achieved in the Middle East
That Ukraine will remain an independent country after the war with Russia is over
Hope, along with my prayers to God, helps keep me going. I have little opportunity to affect the outcome of most of these issues but I can have hope and I can pray.
I pray you will feel the hope and peace that can come from knowing God is always with us in our lives.
Bob Linderman
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