The Light of Hope

Hello, my name is Xochitl Dickson. I'll be sharing a sweet memory in today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread, the light of hope. My mother's shiny red cross should have been hanging next to her bed at the Cancer Care Center, and I should have been preparing for holiday visits between her scheduled treatments. All I wanted for Christmas was another day with my mom.

Instead, I was home hanging her cross on a fake tree. When my son Xavier plugged in the lights, I whispered, thank you. He said, you're welcome. My son didn't know I was thanking God for using the flickering bulbs to turn my eyes toward the ever enduring light of hope, Jesus. The writer of Psalm 42 expressed his raw emotions to God. He acknowledged his downcast and disturbed soul before encouraging readers with these words, put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my savior and my God. Though he was overcome with waves of sorrow and suffering, the Psalmist's hope shone through the remembrance of God's past faithfulness. He ended by questioning his doubts and affirming the resilience of his refined faith, asking, why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my savior and my God. For many of us, the Christmas season stirs up both joy and sorrow. Thankfully, even these mixed emotions can be reconciled and redeemed through the promise of the true light of hope, Jesus. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is Psalm 42. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night while people say to me all day long, where is your God? These things I remember as I pour out my soul, how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the mighty one with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me. Therefore, I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls.

All your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day, the Lord directs his love. At night, his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God, my rock, why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning oppressed by the enemy? My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, where is your God? Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my savior and my God. Let's pray. Dear Jesus, thank you for carrying us through times of grief and joy all year round. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.