Spotting Hope

Hello, I'm Xochitl Dixon. I'm sharing a special story about the world God created in today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread, Spotting Hope. Oceanographer Sylvia Earle has seen the deterioration of coral reefs firsthand. She founded Mission Blue, an organization devoted to the development of global hope spots. These special places around the world are critical to the health of the ocean, which impacts our lives on Earth.

Through the intentional care for these areas, scientists have seen the relationships of underwater communities restored and lives of endangered species preserved. In Psalm 33, the psalmist acknowledges that God spoke everything into existence and ensured that all He made would stand firm. As God reigns over generations and nations, He alone restores relationships, saves lives, and revitalizes hope. However, God invites us to join Him in caring for the world and the people He created. Each time we praise God for the whisper of a rainbow splashed across a clouded gray sky or the glistening waves of the ocean crashing against a rocky shore, we can proclaim His unfailing love and presence as we put our hope in Him.

When we're tempted toward discouragement or fear as we consider the current state of the world, we may begin to believe we can't make a difference. When we do our part as members of God's care team, however, we can honor Him as the Creator and help others spot hope as they place their trust in Jesus. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Psalm 33 verses 6-9 and 12-22. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars.

He puts the deep into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord. Let all the people of the world revere Him, for He spoke and it came to be. He commanded and it stood firm.

Now picking up at verse 12. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance. From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind. From His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth.

He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of his army. No warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance.

Despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord.

He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. May your unfailing love be with us Lord, even as we put our hope in you. Let's pray. Loving creator and sustainer, help us be a hope spotter who faithfully serves on your care team. Empower us to be grateful stewards of all you've given us as we take responsibility for the world you created and entrusted to us and live with compassion toward the people you made in your image and commanded us to love. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.