Sometimes we feel like we have super. solid. faith. It’s burning bright.
But much more frequently, we struggle to trust God. Our faith feels squishy. We are bruised in our beliefs.
Or maybe we even feel like the flame has gone out, and our faith is barely alive. Just the smallest wisp remains. And we might even wonder, “Is it really there at all?”
The nice thing is that it’s not the size of our faith that matters. It’s the size of our God’s love that matters.
Because of his immense love for us, we possess the victory. That’s because–to twist a phrase a bit–it’s not the size of the fight in the dog, it’s the size of the God in the fight.
Not our faith, but Jesus is our hope. He is our one, true hope. And not ours alone, but the hope of the entire world.
“A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope” (Matthew 12:20-21, NIV).
Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me faithfully. Help me with your Holy Spirit to keep on growing in faith, and become strong and steady in relying on you alone.
Our Bible reading for Thursday, January 15, is Genesis 31:1-55, Matthew 12:1-21 and Psalm 9:13-20.
Header image based on "Alight." by Arnold, CC by 2.0
pastorjeffgunn 
This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime sand the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. (Genesis 31:40 NIV)
“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. (Matthew 12:18 NIV)
In his name the nations will put their hope.” (Matthew 12:21 NIV)
But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. (Psalm 9:18 NIV)
Heavenly Father, thank you for all the hope you bring in Jesus. I am tired, truly worn by all that I encounter. In You I have life and in Jesus I have all I will ever need. My body is tired, but in You my spirit is strong and free.
~Paul Montenieri
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