Hope for the Grieving
Read: Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (v. 1) Horatio Spafford was a lawyer in Chicago in the middle of the 19th century. An elder in his church and friends with evangelist D. L. Moody, Spafford and his family had endured a difficult year in 1871, losing […]
Hope for the Small Stuff
Read: 1 Peter 5:1-7 Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (v. 7) In college, I was part of a vibrant campus ministry. We would meet Wednesdays, spend time in worship, share prayer requests, listen to a speaker, and then indulge in cheap refreshments and rich conversation. One time, I brought […]
Hope for Inadequacy
Read: Isaiah 40:29-31 They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength. (v. 31) One of the common issues discussed among college faculty is what’s known as impostor syndrome. Scholars who have attained the highest level in their fields nevertheless find themselves feeling inadequate, doubting their abilities, fearing that the world will one day […]
Hope for the Afflicted
Read: Genesis 41:46-57 The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” (v. 52) Do you know the inspirational story behind Saint Patrick’s Day? Raised in Britain amidst tremendous affluence, Patrick was kidnapped as a teenager and sold into slavery in the neighboring nation […]
Hope for the Outmatched
Read: 1 Samuel 17:41-50 For the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand. (v. 47) In the Disney classic The Lion King, there is a scene where Simba, the young heir to the throne, is tricked into exploring a dangerous graveyard. Three hyenas arrive on the scene, ready to attack […]
Hope for the Meek
Read: Matthew 5:1-12 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. (v. 5) Bruce Lee was a legendary figure. A phenomenal martial artist and actor, Lee used his significant influence to challenge prevailing stereotypes about Asian culture, especially in media representations. His physical capabilities and fitness regimen were famous, to the point where […]
Hope for the Single Parent
Read: Genesis 21:8-21 And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. (v. 16) I was raised by a single mother. As I reflect on my childhood, I’m sure it wasn’t easy for my mother raising me and my siblings alone. In addition to the concerns about safety that every parent […]
Hope for the Addicted
Read: Romans 7:14-25 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (v. 24) Several years ago, I worked at a large drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Chicago. Despite the large budget, wonderful facility, and excellent personnel, there was a sense of despair in the residents. Many had little […]
Hope for the Brokenhearted
Read: Psalm 34:15-18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted. (v. 18) At any given moment, at least one song (if not several) at the top of the Billboard charts is about love gone wrong. Songs about unrequited love and broken hearts are ubiquitous because they speak to a universal aspect of human existence: sorrow. […]