Micah 7:7
But me, I’m not giving up.
I’m sticking around to see what God will do.
I’m waiting for God to make things right.
I’m counting on God to listen to me.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
This morning, I opened a letter from a friend who lives about 3 hours away, and she said she wished we lived close to each other so that we could share coffee, tea, and conversation. I replied that maybe someday that will happen… but we will surely do so in heaven! I’ll be honest… I’ve been thinking a lot about heaven lately. Maybe it’s the sudden passing of several friends close to my age. Or perhaps it’s the posts on Facebook from friends who are grieving the loss of their husbands, siblings and parents – and trying to figure out how to move forward without them. They are wondering what to do with their confusion, loneliness and sorrow.
While I assured my friend that we surely will share coffee and conversation in heaven someday, we are charged in the meantime with doing whatever God calls us to do in order to gather as many people as possible to join us there! And that is the message of hope I glean from this passage today. I know… I know… talk is cheap. If I suddenly lost Greg or my mother or mother-in-law…or a sibling or one of the children so dear to me… would I be as hopeful? I certainly trust that I would! But at the same time, I know that we are human… suffering and grief are real! So if you are one of those who is finding it hard today to move forward or find joy, I certainly understand… and more importantly, God empathizes with your pain!
For every person who is experiencing a time of tremendous joy, there is someone who is in the middle of a desperate heartache or a time of worry and distress. You may not have enough money to give your kids a “decent” Christmas – or even put food on the table. You may be stressing over finals and afraid you have wasted the entire semester. You may be recovering from an illness or surgery…anticipating the birth of a new baby…or trying to figure out how to save your marriage or another relationship. You might be battling an addiction, struggling with obesity, or simply trying to cope with the challenges of aging. And in each of these situations, the temptation might be to throw up your hands, crawl back into bed, and hide under the covers.
Hear God’s words through Micah again… “I’m not giving up. I’m sticking around to see what God will do. I’m waiting for God to make things right.” Call on Him to help you, and believe that He truly is listening. Trust this promise…”I’m counting on God to listen to me.” And know that there are plenty of fellow believers who stand ready, willing, and able to support you… to surround you with the love of Christ… to pray with you, encourage you, and help you rebuild your hope and confidence.
Will this be the day that you reach out to God… and to one of His disciples? Will you invite someone to “share coffee and conversation” and infuse you with courage through the hope and promises of Jesus? God is listening… He will make things right, if only you will call on Him and trust His word. Don’t give up! I pray that you will remain hopeful… and stick around to see what God does next!
©2013 Debbie Robus
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