In the lead up to Easter we will be putting up a new lent devotion each week day. These devotions will also be available in the discussions section of our Facebook page and will be played on New Zealand’s Rhema.
Often people hurt us and relationships break because someone lets us down – for me it was the father who left me and my mother when I was a baby. We often have a tendency to forget the humanity of others, expecting greatness and perfection of them and when they fail to meet that expectation through actions that affect us, a part of us is destroyed.
Thomas A’ Kempis, in his wonderful devotional work – Imitation of Christ, says this:
“Do not place much confidence in weak and mortal man, helpful and friendly though he be; and do not grieve too much if he sometimes opposes and contradicts you. Those who are with us today may be against us tomorrow, and vice versa, for men change with the wind. Place all your trust in God; let Him be your fear and your love. He will answer for you; he will do what is best for you.”
The Bible mirrors this sentiment in Psalm 118:8:
“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in mortals”
So often we place our hope in certain people to somehow make life better, politicians, church leaders, employers, parents and even our friends and often, they let us down.
The Bible calls us regularly to examine our selves and to place our trust and our hope, not in people, but in God and in the person of Jesus. Where is your hope? What gives you hope?
As we prepare our hearts for Easter with the desire to live full lives and see the world change for the better, are we placing our hope for that in other people, or are we consistently examining ourselves, the part we play and placing our hope in God? Consider those questions today.
Let’s pray
Jesus, help us to place our trust in you and when people fall and stumble, help us to hold that in perspective, to reserve judgment and to see their humanity. May we be constantly examining ourselves and allowing you to be our all.
Amen
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