Hope . . . Now It Happened

Question to think about: Do you trust God to be working in your life when you face difficulties?

What do you do when you lose your job? My friend sent me an email after receiving a pink slip. The thing is . . . the job solely provided for their family of four. They had been challenged with trying to make it on one income. What will they do without any income? It seems too hard; however, they are choosing to have hope.

In the phrase, "now it happened," Luke 1:8 reveals how God uses our problems. It is a part of God's story of hope, revealed through Zechariah and Elizabeth who had faced a lifetime of "barrenness." They had been unable to have children and, subsequently, could not ensure their priestly lineage would continue on. In the ancient days, barrenness was a problem that impacted every facet of their life.

At one time or another, problems lead to a sense of barrenness . . . a feeling of emptiness and aloneness.

Take time to meditate on the words Luke wrote: "Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense." (Luke 1:8-9, NAB)
Though Zechariah and Elizabeth did not have a clue that God would use their problem in the story of the birth of Christ, they continued to serve. God used their service to transform their lives and the world.

What is your greatest challenge today?
Acknowledge the presence of God in the midst of what you are facing.
Trust God to provide a way through the problem.
Hope . . . because it will happen . . . God has a plan.

Learning with you to trust God.
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)