Listen

I entrust my spirit into your hands; you, Lord, God of faithfulness— you have saved me.

My future is in your hands. Don’t hand me over to my enemies, to all who are out to get me! Shine your face on your servant; save me by your faithful love!

Psalm 31:5, 15-16

Think

Maybe you’ve seen or heard some ads for financial investments. They always seem to include some variation on this disclaimer: “Past performance is no guarantee of future results.” Since the Great Depression nearly 100 years ago, to more recent financial crises, bank failures, and stock market busts, investment companies have had to be sure to lower expectations (or at least to limit liabilities!) just in case things don’t go as predicted.

God does not need this kind of disclaimer. In fact, the witness of so many of God’s people over the centuries is exactly the opposite. It is because of God’s faithfulness in the past that we can rely on God’s action in the future. It is thanks to God’s faithfulness to God’s people throughout history that we can have faith in the future God has in store. Sure, God’s actions may not always bring the results we may want, but when we put our life in God’s hands, we start to see how God provides us with what we need.

Peter Hanson

Pray

I put my trust in you, O God.

Smile on me, let your light shine on me.

My entire life is in your loving hands.

Amen.

Go

Go with good courage, not always knowing where you’re going, but trusting that God’s hand is leading you and God’s love is supporting you.

inspired by the “Prayer of Good Courage” by Erik Milner-White (1941)