I'm honored to be coming to you today and I just wanted to give you a little nugget of encouragement for your day. You know, in the times that we're in right now, it can feel uncertain. We don't know what the days ahead may look like. We don't know what our new normal might be, and so we can sometimes lose hope. And I just want to encourage you today that God is our God of Hope. You know, in the Bible, the children of Israel wandered through wilderness for 40 years, right? And in that wilderness, they complained, they whined, they grumbled their way through their wilderness, but God always provided for them and took care of them.

And there's a scripture that I have found in Psalms 78. In verse 19, it says, ‘Yes, they spoke against God: They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?”’ Now, this is a negative question that they are asking. The children of Israel were basically saying, can God actually provide for us and give us a table, provide the food that we need, the financial means that we need, can God actually provide this in the middle of the wilderness? And it's really interesting because the word ‘wilderness’, the root word in the Hebrew is ‘midbar’. And actually, the root word of ‘midbar’ has the meaning of ‘speak’ or ‘word’. And so this is indication that God will actually speak to us in the wilderness. And so I want to encourage you that if you feel like you're going through wilderness, and I think a lot of us do right now because it's so uncertain. We don't know what lies ahead of us and it can feel barren and kind of dry and the days can feel like they don't have any hope in them. But I just want to encourage you that if you feel like you're going through a wilderness, that God will actually speak to you in the wilderness, that God does prepare a table for us in the wilderness.

There're actually three things that God will do in a wilderness and we find it in Isaiah 43. Isaiah 43:19 – 21 says this, ‘Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.’ 

So, this passage of Scripture shows us three things that God will do in a wilderness. And the first thing he does is a new thing. So the days ahead, we don't know exactly what they may look like; but we can trust that God will do something new. We don't know what our new normal may be; but we do know who holds our future. We may not know what the days ahead look like; but I guarantee that God will do something new on the inside of you. The second thing He does, is He makes roads in the wilderness, which means that He guides us. He gives us the direction that we need and the plans that we need for the days ahead. He guides us through the middle of the wilderness, and He takes care of us. And the third thing it says, is that He makes rivers. This means that He brings the refreshment; He brings the drink that we need in our dry land. And so I want to encourage you that if you feel like you've been dry or you're uncertain and you're not sure which direction to go, God will give you the road that you need, and God will give you the refreshment that you need. Hope is never lost.

You know, Jesus died on the cross for us, and He did it as the hope of the world. He did it so that we could have a relationship with God – an intimate relationship where we can trust Him and that He will provide what we need in the middle of a wilderness. Psalms 27:14 says this, ‘Here's what I've learned through it all: Don't give up; don't be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting–for he will never disappoint (you)!’ I just want to encourage you – do not lose your hope. God will never disappoint; He is providing for you a way in the wilderness. Lamentations 3:22-24 says this, ‘Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, Because his compassion fail not. They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”’ We don't need to hope in the world. We don't need to hope even in our own intellect. We need to hope in Him because He does not disappoint. He will not fail us.

You know, God is still a God of healing. God is still a God of peace. God is still a God of joy even in the middle of sickness and pain. This is who our God is! And so, I want to encourage you, don't just go through the days ahead but grow through the days ahead. Let God lead you in the wilderness. He does provide a table in the wilderness for us. Let me pray for you today.

Heavenly Father, I just pray for every person, God, that if maybe they've lost their hope, I pray God, that they would begin to hope again. That Holy Spirit, you would just release Your Presence upon them. I thank You, Heavenly Father, that you are our Hope and that You will do a new thing in our lives and in the earth. And so, I pray God, that we will begin to see this new thing. That God, You make a new way when there seems to be no way and You provide refreshment for us. And so, God, I pray for every person who’s watching this that You will provide hope in their heart(s) and that the Light of Your Love will break through the darkness. And I give you praise and glory in Jesus’ name. Amen. God bless you.