I was recently speaking to a friend who is a believer. For a long time he has been seeking employment, unsuccessfully. It occurred to me as I listened to him, that the Christians who remain in this town of Bethlehem are a patient people. They are waiting upon the Lord.
In some ways, the hopes and dreams that people take for granted in the west are not an option in this part of the world. Many opportunities are limited, and life in many ways seems to get harder and harder. And yet they stand firm in their faith. They are expecting God, in a most basic sense, to provide for their everyday needs.
Many believers in this land face every conceivable problem-sickness, premature death, disabilities, unemployment, poverty, depression. But without fail, whatever they face, they always recognize the goodness of God in everyday life. They are so often heard saying, "Thank God!" They thank God for his goodness and try not to focus on their difficulties.
All of this only has any meaning, of course, because God is always greater than anything we face. Greater than the poverty, greater than the illness, greater than all things. It is in him we place our hope and faith for ourselves and brothers and sisters in this part of the world. So let us encourage one another with this truth.
Our hope as Christians is based on the undeniable truth that Christ is with us all the time: every second, every minute, every hour, every day, every month, every year, and every decade. Whether we are employed or unemployed, rich or poor, sick or healthy, we remember that he is with us, giving us the hope we really need.
Do not give up. The God of hope is constantly with you.