Whispers of Hope

Reading:
“We who run to God for our lives have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never...let...go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God...” Hebrews 6:19 MSG

Hope Unexpected

Where do we find hope? Sometimes these glimmers of hope find us...

In the comforting hand of a loved one
In the reassuring smile of a nurse in a hospital hallway
In the delight of a friend’s encouraging laughter and persistent prayers
And in the presence of a God that never leaves you on your own

Hope was there.
Hope is here.
Hope will see you through to what is next.

Hope. It’s a sweet balm that tempers the pain of a diagnosis, the weariness of another appointment, the frustrating call to your healthcare insurance company(again)...or the startling news that it isn’t quite over yet or there’s more ahead...

Somehow, hope arrives, even in these unexpected moments...

Hope ensues.
Hope endures.
Hope walks alongside you.
Hope can even surprise you.

One day, hope happened upon me, unexpectedly, while I was sitting in a chemo chair. I heard the song of another patient beside me, a sister survivor humming, listening to her headphones. She began to sing aloud. Her Hope could not be kept inside, it overflowed in her voice, and in her song...and hope washed over me, too. It refreshed me. I knew that I wasn’t alone and it reassured me that I never would be...

Hope. It’s a favorite word of mine, because it means that the struggle you and I are facing...isn’t the last word! Hope tells me that there’s goodness and peace ahead and the promise of God's presence with us, no matter where our journey leads us.

Hope often appears when we least expect it, but hope can and will always find
YOU.

Prayer and blessing:

God, I pray that hope will surround and support every sister listening today. Jesus hold them close in every season and refresh them with hope. In those unexpected moments...may they find peace and delight in hope. Amen.

Kim McKay Allen is a recent Master of Divinity graduate in the Women’s Leadership Initiative at Central Seminary. She is a cancer survivor and has found her greatest joy and fulfillment in her calling as a chaplain.