When your life is hanging on a thread, a simple thought of gratefulness can bring you hope to appreciate living. It can cause you to appreciate knowing the reality of God and experience the tangible nature of His Holy Spirit—His breadth of life. Truly, God can bring you to a place where you can’t deny it. Because God brings you to a greater awareness of the reality of His presence.
RELEVANCE
Not too long before I embarked upon the task of writing this devotional I was stricken with a heart attack. To hear the cardiologist say the x-rays revealed a heart that appeared to be “deadened” was breathtaking. Then to hear him say that if they operated I wouldn’t survive the surgery left me speechless. What could you do but pray?
The next thing I knew they were wheeling me into the cath-lab to insert a balloon pump to act as a surrogate pump and give my heart a chance to revive. After three days on the pump it did! Then to hear the doctor say “you are a save for us” made me grateful to God to be alive.
Then, in the hospital I had several dreams. One brought me through numerous large halls in a huge football stadium-like structure. Each hall had a scene that reminded me of scenes throughout my life. All the people were dressed in particular modes of dress characteristic of the theme of the time period of my life. The last scene was futuristic in nature. It gave me hope for the future. What an experience it was. God was showing me my life’s history in a way I had never thought before. But it made perfect sense. It left me knowing more than ever God knows the whole score! He is truly the author and finisher of our faith.
REFLECT AND RELATE
Have you ever doubted that God knows all about you; your past, present and future? He does. And He wants to give us all HOPE for today, tomorrow and eternity. Meditate on the joy of living. Ask God to give you a dream to help you relate with Him more fully and have hope for the future.
REFERENCES
Psalm 27:13-14; 51:11-12; 66:8-10; 116:9; 142:5; 145:14-16