Hold My Hand, Have My Hope

Written by: Margie Davis

When I was a child, my parents bought a river front property up close to Monticello, IN. Upon arrival I realized it wasn’t quite what my 8-year-old mind had imagined! Pulling into our lot, we couldn’t even see the water because of the overgrowth. But my dad took it as a challenge to get to work with his weed mower until he had that enormous lot cleared! By the time we climbed into our sleeping bags that night, we could see the Tippecanoe River just waiting to welcome 5 very excited kids the next day! Neighbors had pitched in and worked alongside my dad that entire day and by nightfall our tents were up, the fire started and an old outhouse was delivered to us free of charge!

In the middle of the night when I needed to use that outhouse, I was TERRIFIED of walking in the darkness that was likely full of scary things! I woke up my sister and begged her to go with me. If there was anything “out there” she was unlikely to save my life, but I wasn’t afraid anymore simply because I wasn’t going to walk that 20 yards alone. My big sister was holding my hand.

It's easier to do hard things when we aren’t doing them alone, isn’t it?

We all need the hope that we can get through difficult times. As Christians, we have that hope because of Jesus. But not EVERYONE has that hope. God has placed specific people in your life for a reason. WHERE do they find hope? HOW do they get through? WHOSE hand do they hold onto? These people are your “EVERYONE” that our church longs to reach!

Jesus saw people in trouble and rushed in to help. If they had to go through trouble, He wasn’t about to let them go through it ALONE!

THAT needs to be the cry of our heart too! Families are going through some hard times right now! Rent, the cost of food, childcare and medical bills are just overwhelming to an increasing number of people. Of course, we should meet as many of those tangible needs as we have means to, but we must remember that meeting their physical needs is just a small part of what they truly need! It may be all THEY can see in the moment because they are in trouble! But YOU have the real solution, and YOU can rush into their trouble and walk with them as they go through it. And as you walk with them you will find opportunities to tell them about the hope and peace of knowing Jesus.

Is your “EVERYONE” a family member? Invite them to share a meal (Thanksgiving?) with you and begin the journey of bringing them hope as you eat with them. Do you have a friend who has experienced church hurt and has rejected every invitation to join you at Victory? Pray BOLD prayers for them and then try again! Maybe your “EVERYONE” is someone who once had a strong faith but quit working their “faith muscles” and they became weak. Take their hand and walk them back home!

Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 says “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

My sister didn’t just hold my hand and walk me to the outhouse that night, she also provided me with instant comfort that I didn’t have to make that journey alone. It wasn’t the first time she had done that for me, and it certainly wasn’t the last.

I’ve been thinking about the story in scripture where Elisha prayed for his servant’s eyes to be open because he was so filled with fear (2 Kings 6:17) because the Syrian armies were surrounding them! Elisha prayed “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

We are NOT alone in our battles. Even we who have all the scriptures and the Spirit available to us forget the magnitude of that!! If our eyes were open for even a minute to see the spiritual battles being fought on our behalf, I think we would be urgently and boldly trying to bring everyone we know under that protection too!

Who is your EVERYONE? Now is the time to be brave! Perhaps God has allowed the extreme emotional and physical needs this generation is facing so

they can finally realize how much they need Him! Jesus is THE Hope for Everyone and He has chosen US to bring it to a troubled, battle-worn world! Nobody else is coming to their rescue! It is us, church! Take their hand and offer them YOUR hope!