Well into A Summer of Sacred Space we continue to gather and save an open seat for you. Our working through three random chapters a week in the devotional book Sacred Space: A Little Book of Encouragement has been a welcome time of refreshing.
Our summer study is perfect for anyone with an irregular schedule. There are two opportunities a week to gather with us.
Tuesday at 9am
and
Wednesday at 12noon
Every week is free standing with just three short chapters to read and process. We even have an optional journal to help you work through your thoughts to prepare to share in our gatherings.
Next week’s chapters:
56, 70, 22
This week our three readings in Sacred Space — 23, 34, 35 — led us into a place where we found a sense of hope and assurance.
Chapter 23: I Am a Beloved Child of God
Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
In this Gospel passage, the people were “filled with expectation” wondering if John the Baptizer was the Messiah. John set them straight, telling them he only baptized with water but One was coming who was greater and would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.
John was the one who identified Jesus as the Messiah and baptized Him. In this moment Father God assured us of Jesus’s identity: This is My Beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.
When we put our faith in Jesus, we take on His identity as a Beloved child of God. Herein lies our hope — a reason to be filled with an expectation of good — and an assurance of being loved by the Father whose faithfulness is bottomless.
Chapter 34: Can I Call Out for Help?
Matthew 9:27-31
In these verses, two blind men followed Jesus and cried out: Have mercy on us, Son of David! Jesus asked them if they believed He could do what they wanted. Saying Yes, Lord, Jesus touched their eyes and said: According to your faith let it be done to you.
Because of their persistent faith (or the faith which made them persistent) they were healed. Their eyes were opened and they couldn’t contain the good news even though Jesus told them to keep it to themselves.
The lesson in this story comes from the two blind men’s faith-filled hope in Jesus. They knew He could, so they followed.
They cried out for help, and received what they sought.
What about you? Do you have a faith-filled hope that cries out for help? Do you even know you need help? Do you have an experience with Jesus you can’t keep quiet about?
These two blind men show us there is hope in the darkness, when we put our faith in Jesus.
Chapter 34: Am I Lost?
Matthew 18:12-14
In this passage, Jesus explains how a shepherd with 100 sheep leaves the 99 when just ONE goes astray. When the lost sheep is found, the shepherd rejoices!
Jesus says the same thing is true about the Father. He doesn’t want one single “sheep” to get lost, so He sent His Son to find them and make a way for them to return.
The hope we hear? EVERY sheep matters to Jesus.
Every person ever created matters to God.
Even when you’re lost and don’t know it, He’s out looking for you.
Photo by Andrea Lightfoot on Unsplash
Looking back over the three, we find hope and assurance in sacred space.
The hope and assurance of being a Beloved child of God, who can confidently place their life in His hands. Because Jesus trusted Himself to the Father with abandon! we can too!
Because we’re loved He is trustworthy with our dis-ease and brokenness. We can cry out for mercy without being dismissed or rejected. By faith He heals us and sets us free.
Because He so loves, we have hope for EVERYONE because His heart is for those who have gone astray. Every one is important to Him — every one worth dying for. We have hope when we pray for our lost loved ones because He loves them too — even more than we.
And those times when we feel lost and unwanted, He is seeking after us!
But perhaps, it’s not that He hasn’t found us, but that we haven’t opened our eyes to see His great awesome powerful love for us.
Are you blind? There’s hope!
Ask Him to help you see.
May the Lord bless you with the assurance of His love for you.
Carol & Stacy
May you be filled with joy-full expectation and hope in Jesus.
Feature Image Photo by Deborah Lehmann on Unsplash
Unraveled Love 
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