Yesterday was a sad day for music. The country music legend, Loretta Lynn, passed away at the age of 90. Talk about somebody who dared to hope! She was born into poverty in rural Kentucky. She wrote and sang songs about growing up in Appalachia. One of the songs of hope that I have been listening to as I walk is “Where no-one Stands Alone.” I find the words of this song filled with hope.
Once I stood in the night
With my head bowed low
In the darkness as black as could be
And my heart felt alone and I cried, “Oh Lord
Don’t hide your face from me”
Hold my hand all the way, every hour, every day
Come here to the great unknown
Take my hand, let me stand
Where no-one stands alone
How many of us grew up playing the “I dare you” game?” I can remember daring my brothers to grab onto an electric fence to see if it charged. In a world filled with darkness, negativity, and confusion, how many of us dare to hope? The past couple of Sundays, I have been preaching from the book Lamentations. I have found a new love for this book, and the words from the weeping Prophet, Jeremiah. Lamentations 3:19-21, “The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope.”
The natural and easy thing to do is give up. However, we are called to rise and dare to hope. Some of the most hopeful words we have in scripture come from one of the gloomiest books. May we meditate on Lamentations 3:22-24, “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is thy faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”
May we dare ourselves to hope!!!
Pastor Tom
Long Talk…. 