Katrina: A Hopeful Prayer for the New Year

-By Katrina

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

-Psalm 25:5

I recently shared an end-of-year meal and cozy, catch-up conversation with some friends. At one point in the evening, one of them commented in a half-joking tone of voice, “well, good luck to us all,” because this friend was evidently bothered, disappointed, angered, and stressed by current events, not including personal matters. I think she assumed that all of us friends felt the same way or would agree with the same views and feelings as she had. Yet, I didn’t resonate with nor feel encouraged by that wish, “good luck.” It got me thinking, when I am bothered or burdened each day—whether by current events, personal sin and suffering, or 24 hours gone awry with my 3 kids under 5, what do I have that makes life still hopeful, and worth all the while? What hope do I have in spite of world chaos, slimy deceit, frightening lawlessness, pervasive idolatry, and the ear-piercing harmony of my infant’s cry about “nothing” next to my toddlers’ scream about not getting their snack in a cup instead of the original bag? In Psalm 25, David says that his hope is in God all day long. How is anyone able to do that, and why would anyone find value in that? In general, I feel like the word hope is used frequently and rather casually. “I hope you have a great weekend,” or “my hope is that I will be able to experience XYZ this year as smoothly as possible,” or “I hope I can sleep in and relax when I take a ‘me’ day.” It’s not bad to use the word often. I looked up the word hope on Bible Gateway, and in the NIV translation, hope comes up 180 times throughout the Bible! What stands out to me in this verse, though, is how David connects his daily hope to the truth that God is his Savior, and that this truth gives him PLENTY of hope for the entire day. I take his writing in the present tense here to indicate that God actively instructs and guides our heart with his truth, living and active (Heb. 4:12), so that in an ongoing way, we learn truth that will help grow our hope in our Savior all day long. At the beginning of January, I skimmed an article in the New York Times about hope. The topic was interesting and relevant to me since people often share resolutions, goals, and hopes and dreams for the new year. I’ve also heard people share that no matter what suffering they might be experiencing, they look for ways to move forward and past the old stuff because time just moves forward and it’s a good idea to move toward newness. There was a lot of detail in this piece, but basically, there are experts at a Hope Institute who say that you can cultivate hope to fend off cynicism (think distrust, negativity, pessimism, and hopelessness about life). I think, for a Christian, that is empty or at most a temporary fix. Creating your own hope is like creating your own joy, destiny, or life direction. That’s as limited as your imagination and your ability to carry out your expectations. Instead, I think Christians have hope like King David and others testify to—ultimate, lasting hope given to us (not imagined or self-accomplished) that is Christ our Savior’s victory over sin and death, and a new life with him for eternity. Jesus, help me to know your truth, and guide me in understanding, believing, and applying it. Lord Jesus, please give me a teachable heart, so that your truth will make sense to me and so my life would be changed by your truth. You are my Savior, and I know I can hope in you everyday. Please help me to be faithful to put my hope in you all day long. Amen.