Hope and Happiness are both gifts, and choices.  2024 has ushered in a boatload of each for me–God is GOOD! 

My hope everyday is IN HIM–it’s a confident expectation that He has me in His big strong hands, so I don’t need to waste valuable time fretting about stuff that He’s already taking care of on my behalf.  Trusting Him is the best way for me to live–He gives me peace, and makes me Happy.

The Bible has many verses beginning with the phrase, “Happy is…”  Some versions say, “Blessed is…” and check out what the Amplified Bible says (makes me want to ask the Lord every day for a double portion of wisdom, understanding, and insight!):

Happy [blessed, considered fortunate, to be admired] is the man who finds [skillful and godly] wisdom, And the man who gains understanding and insight [learning from God’s word and life’s experiences], Proverbs 3:13, AMP

Happy are those who keep his decrees and seek him with all their heart. Psalm 119:2, Christian Standard Bible

How happy are those whose strength comes from you, who are eager to make the pilgrimage to Mount Zion. Psalm 84:5, Good News Translation  I have such a visual of this pilgrimage to Mount Zion.

~†~

Zechariah 9:12 has been a verse that fascinated me from the first time I read it.  The concept of being “prisoners of Hope”…I mean really, I wouldn’t have thought those two words fit together.  But the more I pondered it, the better it sounded–if I had to be a prisoner, where better to ‘serve my time’ than in God’s Hope?  The Lord revealed to me that Hope which resides in Him is a comforting place I’m locked into, can’t escape–Hope is a refuge, a fortress of God’s protection.

I’ve been collecting bird cages since I first became a Hobby Lobby fan–so the photo above with little birdies was well suited to display Zechariah’s message of God’s promise to restore double for all that His children have lost.

More Bible verses follow, for those who are interesed.  God bless you all abundantly!💙Vee

©V.Sparrow, 2024

Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone. Psalm 33:22, NLT

For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the LORD, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11, AMP

Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  Romans 5:5, AMP

Through Him we also have access by faith into this [remarkable state of] grace in which we [firmly and safely and securely] stand. Let us rejoice in our hope and the confident assurance of [experiencing and enjoying] the glory of [our great] God [the manifestation of His excellence and power].
Romans 5:2,  AMP

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The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition)

© 1992 American Bible Society.  All rights reserved.

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