This post is Day 4 in a series of studies about “Hope”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Hope – Day 4

Some of us are praying for success for some family members, and for conversion to Jesus for others. We waste our time following the crowd, or bemoaning what the world governments are doing. But each of us has a calling to fulfil and that is where our emphasis must be.

Proverbs 23:17-19

Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
Listen my son and be wise, and set your heart on the right path.

The Thought

As parents and grandparents, some of us are praying for success for some family members, and for conversion to Jesus for others.

The writer of proverbs is urging his son to set his heart on the right path, to basically get on with his own life and not envy sinners. All of us can encourage our children to do that; not to waste time watching what others do, but to follow The Lord and to get on with what they are personally called to do in this life.

We can all waste our time following the crowd, or bemoaning what the world governments are doing. But each of us has a calling to fulfil and that is where our emphasis must be.

As we read on in this chapter, we see that the writer is encouraging his son to avoid getting involved with the wrong set of friends. All of us can pray for that too. No matter how old our children are.

Action

Let’s spend some time today thinking about our hopes for ourselves this year, as well as for our family members.

Read on in this chapter (Proverbs 23) and underline or note the verses most appropriate for you.

May this be a year of fulfilled hopes for ourselves, and may God’s hopes for us be fulfilled in each of our lives this year.

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