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Hokies need hope...it is Jesus // Thursday E-Devotion

Psalm 20:7 (esv) --- Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

You may not know it, but I played a little football in my high school years. I played baseball in elementary. I've tried my hand at a few others things ... big game fishing, golf, horse shoes, volleyball, professional wrestling, checkers ... in each case I found that my strength rarely would touch the strength of others who were well prepared. In fact, we are about to have our first game of our very first softball team at the new church. Again, I am not too strong when it comes to batting and running. Oh well, I am sure you are having some thoughts about me by now.

Some of those sports, I have not tried. Time to get honest.

This week I've spent much time thinking about weakness and strength. You can read the paper or watch the news and listen to all sorts of suggestions to how the shooting and 33 victims could have been avoided at Virginia Tech. It happened. It is horrible. But God is still God.

He could have stopped it. I honestly don't understand, yet we do know that God will use this situation to encourage, lift and even save some people. He always does.

We can think of all kinds of things to help protect people. Trusting in machine guns, alarm systems, bodyguards or anything else won't keep us from pain and heartache and other trash that the world and sin throw at us. The verse above tells us what we can trust in. We must trust in God. He is able. He comforts and confronts. He guides and guards. He holds and honors. He forgives and gives foresight. The list goes on of what God can and will do.

In these days it is time to look up. Look at Jesus. The place we give Jesus will directly relate to what we believe about God.

Psalm 121:1-2 (nlt) --- I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the L ord, who made heaven and earth!

Before us is a huge opportunity to influence others for Jesus. It may through giving comfort or offering prayer. Most likely that influence will come as people see that in the middle of struggle, pain and the senselessness of this past Monday's events on the Virginia Tech campus we are found to have hope. Some will say we aren't being sensitive. What I am saying is this (huddle up, listen close), there are people around us who need Jesus. You've got the truth. Give it away. Be intentional. Talk about what happened. Talk about the hope that we have in Jesus.

This event will impact our nation and our world, but Jesus has and will make an even bigger impact as we give Him away.

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