These are busy days. Days filled with so much to do, so many people to see, so many things to decide. Sometimes we can become so immersed in small, but important, things that we lose track of the big picture. Our concern about getting things done becomes doubt, and if neglected long enough doubt can cause us to lose hope.
How do we find hope? How do we strengthen it? I have a wise friend who believes that prayer and hope are consistently linked in scripture. I believe that he is right. But I believe that God has other ways to help us find and strengthen this most important virtue in our lives.
One of the ways in which God builds hope is meditation on scripture. Now, I want to make clear that merely reading the text as so many words won’t do this. We need to be silent, and welcome the word of God in the midst of silence, and dwell with it for a while. If we lift up our hearts and hands to receive the word, it will not leave us unchanged. In the text, we may find conviction or affirmation, but we will also find God. If we will do this, then we will find enough hope for the moment and perhaps even a little joy. We will find ourselves sent out into our world by the word of God to join in the mission of God.
Consider the case of Nehemiah and the people:
When the seventh month came — the people of Israel being settled in their towns — all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month.
He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand.
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, "Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved." And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
Nehemiah 7:73-8:12 – NRSV
May you find hope and joy in your day.
Blessings,
Ron
