Finding Hope in the New Year-Trusting in God’s Omnipresence

Last time, we thought about how HOPE starts with being HONEST with where you are. He already knows what you’re thinking and feeling. He wants to meet you there!

Today we’re going to think about His promise that He will never leave you nor forsake us. The O in HOPE is going to stand for God’s OMNIPRESENCE. He is AWAYS with us. He hears everything we say and think. He knows when we need to just be held in His arms. He knows our fears and our tears. He is OMNIPRESENT!

We have to remind ourselves of the truth even when we don’t feel like it. It’s like living in a new way. You and I need help to act on God’s truths even when we don’t seem to experience it. We need to remember that God is always with us even when we don’t feel His presence.

There will be times where we have to step forward in faith even when we feel like the water is crashing down on us. Because He has promised that He will never leave us, we can trust that even if we don’t see what He’s doing in this moment in our life, He is working-it might just be somewhere where we can’t see it.

How can we take comfort in the fact that God is always with you (even when it may not seem like He is)?

Grab a cup of coffee and take some time on this New Year’s Day to read Psalm 46. Get out that journal or that piece of paper or open up a new document on the computer.

List names of God from that Psalm. Then write about how that name of God gives you comfort/hope.

Here are some I’ve thought about this year.

God is…..
My Counselor–He listens to me.
A Great Light–He shows me the way when I feel that I am in darkness.
My High Tower-He is higher than my troubles. He is a place of calm and refuge.

Why don’t you try these…
My Strong Rock
King of Glory

Check out Psalm 46 and other psalms for other names of God too.
Maybe make a bookmark to keep in your Bible or write them on an index card and hang it on your fridge or in your car.

Let’s thank God today for His OMNIPRESENCE! In this New Year we can remember that no matter what comes, He promises to never leave us alone.

Where Do We Find Joy?

Where do we find joy?  I’ve been studying Psalm 119 with a group of women, and today several verses about joy popped out at me.  Verse 103 says “How sweet are your words to my taste.  Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”  The author compares God’s Word to honey often, but I began thinking about what my favorite foods are-chocolate came to mind first of course!!

What food do you run to when you want something sweet?  Do you run to God’s Word the same way?  The psalmist says later in verse 111 “I have inherited Your testimonies forever, for they are the joy of my heart.”  Where do we find joy?  God’s Word will give us pure joy.

I began thinking-where do I run for joy?  Do I run to chocolate to get that sweet little bite of joy?  How many times do I run to God’s Word to find true joy?  Grab some coffee (or chocolate:)  and God’s Word and spend a few minutes looking for joy there.

Pray that God would remind you to run to His Word.  Maybe that favorite food can even become a reminder.  Ask God to help you remember His Word when you take a bite of that certain food.

Here’s a song about it- oldie but a goodie…check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CIKrS-62dM