The Act of Hope
O Lord God,
I hope by your grace for the pardon
of all my sins
and after life here to gain eternal happiness
because you have promised it
who are infinitely powerful, faithful, kind,
and merciful.
In this hope I intend to live and die.
Amen.
Omnipotent. I remember learning this word while studying vocabulary, and the example used was that of an “all-powerful” God. I love this word! Partially because it brings back memories of one of my favorite school subjects, but also because it has such an authoritative tone. Not the tone of a dictator, but rather one who holds full knowledge and in His knowledge is capable of anything. Fortunately for us, our Omnipotent One is a loving Father.
Merriam Webster defines hope as: “to cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen or be true.”
God has already promised each one of us the opportunity to share in His eternal happiness. He has done this because he is “infinitely powerful, faithful, kind, and merciful.” If there is anything worthy of hoping for, it is life with Jesus. He has already assured us of its possibility!
Our sin cannot hold us back from God if we repent. It can widen the divide between us, but His mercy is always ready to be poured out on us when we run back to Him in contrition. Through Reconciliation, we are again drawn close to Him by His kindness. Because He is faithful, His Heart for us never turns cold.
The Lord desires us to hope because He has hope to be with us. It is you and I who He cherishes and desires with anticipation. There is nothing and nobody that can take that reality away. As Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini said:
The omnipotent hand of God is at work... The good God has loved us from all eternity. Let us love him and serve him with joy.
Will you say yes?
Let Us Pray
God, You are infinitely powerful, faithful, kind, and merciful. Thank You for creating us for Yourself and for never losing hope in our eternal union with You. May all our hope rest in this union. Amen!
For Discussion
In what ways are you being called to serve the Lord in love and joy in this particular season? To what specifically has He called you?
What is your greatest hindrance to hope right now? Ask the Lord to remove any obstacles and to soften your heart towards Him.
They That Hope: The 2022 Prayer Pledge // Day 22 #BISblog #prayerpledge //Click to tweet
Susanna Parent is a regular contributor to the BIS blog and a freelance writer. While a Wisconsin native, she now begins her mornings brewing French press coffee in the home she shares with her husband and children in the Twin Cities. When the sun sets, you’ll find her with friends enjoying a glass of red wine, preferably outside underneath twinkly lights. When not exploring all that the Twin Cities has to offer, she is indulging her wanderlust spirit by brainstorming their family's next new adventure. You can find out more about her here. Read all of Susanna's posts here.
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