Hope

As I was journaling this morning, a quote from Ezra caught my eye.  Shecaniah, one of Ezra’s contemporaries, told Ezra that, “We have been unfaithful to God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us.  But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel.”

God’s grace and mercy can truly give us all hope.  I’m sure we have all been like the Israelites and have been disobedient and unfaithful to God at times, I know I have.  It seems like God would just shut us down and take away all of the things He has promised us because of our disobedience and unfaithfulness, but He doesn’t.  Every promise from God, from the beginning of time, is still a promise from God.  He doesn’t give us what we deserve, He gives us grace and mercy and He accepts us just as we are.

Despite all the mistakes I’ve made and all of the wanderings I’ve done, I have more hope now for my family and me than I’ve ever had in the past.  God’s promises are all right out in front of me and I know He is faithful to all of them.  I could focus on all my failures, disobediences, and mistakes of the past or I can focus on the hope that I have because of God’s grace, mercy, and promises.  I will choose to focus and look forward with hope.