Hope Restored Along the Way
by Max Lucado
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What would it take to restore your hope?
What would you need to reenergize your journey?
Though the answers are abundant, three come quickly to mind.
The first would be a person. Not just any person. You don’t need someone equally confused. You need someone who knows the way out.
And from him you need some vision. You need someone to lift your spirits. You need someone to look you in the face and say, “This isn’t the end. Don’t give up. There is a better place than this. And I’ll lead you there.�
And, perhaps most important, you need direction. If you have only a person but no renewed vision, all you have is company. If he has a vision but no direction, you have a dreamer for company. But if you have a person with direction—who can take you from this place to the right place—ah, then you have one who can restore your hope.
Or, to use David’s words, “He restores my soul.� (Psalm 23) Our Shepherd majors in restoring hope to the soul. Whether you are a lamb lost on a craggy ledge or a city slicker alone in a deep jungle, everything changes when your rescuer appears.
Your loneliness diminishes, because you have fellowship.
Your despair decreases, because you have vision.
Your confusion begins to lift, because you have direction.
Please note: You haven’t left the jungle. The trees still eclipse the sky, and the thorns still cut the skin. Animals lurk and rodents scurry. The jungle is still a jungle. It hasn’t changed, but you have. You have changed because you have hope. And you have hope because you have met someone who can lead you out.
Your Shepherd knows that you were not made for this place. He knows you are not equipped for this place. So he has come to guide you out.
You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/07/05/ml_hope/
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Max Lucado
From: Let the Journey Begin:
God’s Roadmap for New Beginnings
© (J Countryman 2009)
Used by permission
To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
http://www.maxlucado.com/about/
Tags: confused, David, despair, god, hope, lift, Max Lucado, Mental confusion, Psalm 23, reenergize, Religion and Spirituality, shepherd, soul, vision
July 5th, 2009 at 8:45 am
An awesome meaningful, analytical and inspiring thoughtful devotional Psalms 23- The Good Shepherd- I have not come across till now.
Thank you, Bro. Max, may God bless you richly in His wisdom to carryon this teaching for His Glory.
July 9th, 2009 at 8:08 am
I TRULY AGREE WITH THE FACT WE DO NEED SOMEONE POSITIVE LEADING US, TELLING US ITS OKAY, AND NOT PULLING US DOWN. IT'S VERY HARD OUT HERE AND WE NEED BACK UP. I KNOW WE HAVE GOD HOLDING US UP BUT WE NEED A POSITIVE FIGURE ALWAYS HERE IN FRONT OF US TO TALK TO.
July 23rd, 2009 at 4:18 pm
I strongly believe what was shared and my spirit is encouraged and uplifted in knowing that God is the only right person that we could look up for to direct us for no one else is as pure, Holy and Righteous like him.
Our friends, sisters, brother, etc and even our mothers and fathers can lie or fail us but our LORD will never change. Amen and Alleluiah to the LORD of HOST.
Jesus I Adore yu and lift up your name.