Hope: An Anthem for 2017

Hope: An Anthem for 2017

It seemed like last year there wasn’t a whole lot of hope in the world. Racial discord, a country torn between two political choices, jobs lost, miscarriages, floods…these are just a few of the heavy problems that touched the lives of my own circle of friends. In a 2016 marked by a heaviness of soul, this passage of scripture took on so much meaning to me.

Isaiah 61:1-3

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
Isaiah 61:1-3

Jesus reads scripture

Jesus read this very section of scripture about Himself when He was in the temple (Luke 4:16-21).

Jesus brings good news. He heals the broken-hearted when they feel all is lost. He delivers those who are imprisoned and gives them true and lasting freedom. He comforts those who are grieving. He transforms mourning into gladness. He plants us and grows us into oaks of righteousness. He proclaims a favorable year of the Lord!

Reason for Hope

If that isn’t reason for hope, I don’t know what is!

Hebrews says that faith is actually the substance of things hoped for. We can’t even have faith until we start hoping for something. Until we start hoping in Someone.

So for 2017, Hope is my anthem.

I’m going to talk and sing and write of the goodness of God rather than the problems in my life. I’m going to place my trust in and hang all my hopes on the One who can fulfill every one of the them or give me something so much better than I ever dared to ask.

Will you join me?

Action Step:

When the chance to complain or argue comes up (AND IT WILL – repeatedly), let’s choose something good to focus on and speak out loud. Right now, come up with a handful of things that you can be thankful for just in case it is really hard to think of them in the midst of a problem or when surrounded by the Debbie Downers of your life. Write them down and put them up somewhere where you will see them over and over again.

Prayer:

God, we need You, We desperately need Jesus, the hope of the world. Thank you for hope in hopeless situations. Thank you for freedom, healing, deliverance, and that you proclaim 2017 to be the favorable year of the Lord. We want to grow into oaks of righteousness this year with Your help. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

I love this song by Hillsong: 

Jesus, I Need You

Hope be my anthem
Lord when the world has fallen quiet
You stand beside me
Give me a song in the night

Jesus I need You
Every moment I need You
Hear now this grace bought heart sing out
Your praise forever

Beauty for ashes
You find the weak and contrite heart
Shoulder its burdens
And carry it into the light

Remember love
Remember mercy
Christ before me
Christ behind me
Your loving kindness
Has never failed me
Christ before me
Christ behind me