Be Strong, Take Heart

Oh man, this world at the moment…it can really bum a girl out, right?! I had so many fun things planned for the next couple of weeks and it seems they’ve been knocked over, yet again, by another snap lock down. 

Here in Brisbane, we have just hit first week of holidays and my two youngest girls were involved in a creative holiday program for the week. (Yes, you know where this is going…) today was the second and last day of said program as we head into a snap 3 day lock down #thanksCOVID. 

I am writing this literally minutes before I send this out to you. I had another email planned for tonight, but it just feels ‘blah' compared to what is really going on in all our lives right now. 

I don’t know your situation. Maybe it’s frustration at plans changing. Maybe it’s heartbreaking disappointment at not seeing loved ones or family. Maybe you’re wondering how God will provide yet again. Maybe you’re wondering where the good is in all of this. Maybe you’re wondering where Jesus is in all of this. Maybe life feels like a desert. 

Tonight I want to encourage you (and me) to ‘take heart’. Like this Bible verse from Psalm 31:24 says: “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”

We have an eternal hope yes, but we also have a God who provides right in the midst of the desert. 

We’ve been going through the book of Exodus at church and it talks a lot about the desert. (Kinda 40yrs of desert really!) I keep coming back to this Old vs New Testament parallel of God providing. He provided for the Israelites in the Old Testament, and his followers in the New. 

In Exodus, God provided daily bread, or Manna, for this massive group of his people. Each new day there it was, on the ground, ready for them to pick up and use for their food. Daily. For the whole time they were traveling the desert, their basic needs were served up daily. Their daily sustenance, just provided so routinely and faithfully. 

But, I can’t ignore the parallels from this Old Testament account, to the New Testament account where Jesus is saying to his followers, He is the ‘bread of life’ (John 6:25-59). 
Just as God provided for his people in the desert, he provides ‘bread’ to those who believe in him today. God still provides.

Instead of Manna, it is Jesus.
Instead of raining down flakes, he sent down His son.
Instead of the daily gift of Manna, Jesus is the CONSTANT gift of sustenance, through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

This kind of ‘Bread of life’ is new, not only every morning, but every moment of every day. Day in and day out. On this earth and everlasting.

This is the hope-filled good news, at the end of what might feel like a disheartening day. 

So, if you believe in Jesus, then we CAN take heart. We can remember all Jesus has done for us and the promise we have in our salvation. The promise that he will provide for all our needs. That is our hope. 

Be strong friends. Take heart. Jesus is our Hope. 

Much love, 
Jordan