Empowered with a Better Hope  
Living by Faith
Terry R. Baughman

“For the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God” (Hebrews 7:19 NKJ). 

A world without hope is disposed toward disappointment and despair. There is a hopelessness that pervades the attitude of our country and people grasp for any proposed change that promises consolation or offers a resolution of expectation. Frequently, it is grasping at straws of vain optimism and empty promises. 

True hope is only found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus came with the goal of bringing salvation to a world that had been alienated through the consequence of sin and the condemnation of death. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). He prepared and proclaimed the gospel, physical healing, spiritual deliverance, and a dispensation of grace. (See Luke 4:18–19.) 

The good news of the New Covenant was the institution of a better hope. The Gospel of Jesus Christ promises hope to all who believe and receive His Spirit. Paul said, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). He is the God of hope and He has come into our world to bring that hope to us!

The hope that God brings is a better hope because there is no disenchantment in His promises. Paul wrote, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5). The hope of salvation has already been realized through the power of the Holy Spirit. We continue in hope for the future fulfillment of God’s purposes. Paul said, “Hope means that we must trust and wait for what is still unseen. For why would we need to hope for something we already have? So because our hope is set on what is yet to be seen, we patiently keep on waiting for its fulfillment” (Romans 8:24-25 TPT).

The Book of Hebrews emphasizes the certain hope, the better hope, with which we have been empowered. The certainty of that hope is assured by the unchanging character of God and declaration of His promises. The writer declared, “It is impossible for God to lie for we know that his promise and his vow will never change! And now we have run into his heart to hide ourselves in his faithfulness. This is where we find his strength and comfort, for he empowers us to seize what has already been established ahead of time--an unshakeable hope! We have this certain hope like a strong, unbreakable anchor holding our souls to God himself. Our anchor of hope is fastened to the mercy seat which sits in the heavenly realm beyond the sacred threshold” (Hebrews 6:18–19 TPT).

God has provided something far superior than the flimsy security of human promises in the face of our present circumstances. We have a better hope in Christ and, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:19 NKJV). 

Theme passage:
“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth” (Hebrews 11:13).

Looking for Better Things 
Living by Faith
Terry R. Baughman
“To the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel” (Hebrews 12:23–24 NKJV). 

When a violent murder occurs and there are no suspects or leads to apprehend those who are responsible, family members and friends champion the cause for justice. They may offer rewards for information, seeking to bring the perpetrators to answer for their crimes. Other people cry out for justice when they feel that someone's rights have been violated. The mistreatment of a victim or a perceived civil rights infraction can cause hundreds to rally for justice. The quest for social justice will never end, for in our world there will always be those who will oppress the weak and exercise power over those who cannot defend themselves. 

Abel was overpowered by his angry brother, Cain, and became the object of the first murder in the Bible. God pronounced judgment on Cain declaring, “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10). The gospels refer to the “blood of righteous Abel,” announcing a particular justice for the death of an innocent man. (See Matthew 23:35 & Luke 11:51.) The bookends of Old Testament justice extended from righteous Abel to Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom was murdered between the temple and the altar. 

Whenever we see social inequities, natural calamities, and human tragedies we are made to question whether there is anything fair in our world. Why is it that the evil seem to lead a trouble-free existence and another moral and trustworthy citizen falls prey to a plethora of losses, tragedies, and personal conflict? We may ask, “Where is the justice in all of this? Why do these things happen?” Then we may sigh and say, “It just doesn’t seem fair!” 

Justice is only found in a belief that God is just and He will always be fair. God is sovereign and reigns supreme over all the earth. However, much of what happens on earth is a result of sin and the consequence of humanity’s disobedience. God will always be just and justified in whatever He does. While he may allow the course of natural events, we know that ultimately all will stand before God and when the books are opened everything will become clear. 

Our only hope is in Christ Jesus. His sinless life and spotless sacrifice provided access into the “better things” that God has prepared for us. The blood of Christ sanctifies us from sin and connects us with redemption. Through His sacrifice we are united with Christ have the hope of everlasting life. We don’t have to be the ones who bring justice for everyone who ever lived and try to right the wrongs of every sinner. Rather we come to Jesus in our sins and ask for His forgiveness and receive the promise a new life and peace that comes only from Him, our Savior. 

Jesus’ blood and the New Covenant speaks of better things for us, more righteous than Abel or Zechariah, more worthy than any good thing that any holy one has ever accomplished. Our hope is in Christ alone! In Him we are looking for better things!

Theme passage:
“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth” (Hebrews 11:13).

Longing for a Better Country 
Living by Faith
Terry R. Baughman
“If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:15–16 NKJV). 
Abraham was called to leave home before he had ever seen where he was going. Apparently, he had a relationship with God from his youth, so when God spoke to him to leave his father’s house in Haran and journey into the land of Canaan he was ready to make preparations to go. 
When we are challenged to select a travel destination, we are rather spoiled in that we have color brochures, YouTube videos, and our research assistant, Google, to find out all the information we want, along with full color pictures of most any location we might select. We would want to check the mileage and the best route to travel through our map app. We might even check Yelp to find the best restaurants and hotels along the way and compare their reviews. 
Sadly, our ability to get all this information in advance takes some of the “living by faith” element out of our Christian walk. If we know where we are going and have already downloaded the most popular attractions for our journey, where is the need for faith or the uncertainty of the adventure. How can we learn to trust in God when we can find all the answers for ourselves. Of course, there can still be surprises that arise and detours along our journey. These should not be viewed as an annoyance, but rather an opportunity to find that God had planned this little unexpected event and He has the ability to make it a learning experience for our good!
Hebrews chapter 11 is often referred to as the “faith hall of fame” in the Scriptures. Many of those listed in this chapter are well-known among the patriarchs and prophets. The writer sometimes pulls the difficulties they faced into the forefront to see that these challenges were actually wonderful opportunities to learn more about God. When we set out to teach a course or a series of lessons, the best thing we can do is take the time to review the lessons and learn the outcomes for ourselves. Those featured in Hebrews 11 were imperfect people with the ability to rise above their doubts and fears and embrace the unknown element of faith. 
Faith is the essential quality that enables us to connect with God. Without it we cannot please God and will never enter into a relationship with Him. The writer of Hebrews warned, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
To those listed in this chapter, God gave a vision of a place they had never seen, and they set out to find it. Many grew old or their life was cut short before they realized that they had not yet arrived and the destination was still out of reach. It seems inconclusive and unkind to end the journey before the traveler had the opportunity to complete his route, but in truth all dreams should be bigger than our ability to grasp and every destination should be beyond our map and just out of reach. That way we never stop trying and never quit reaching. We all are longing for a better country and a heavenly city. We have God’s word to direct us on the right path!
Here is our challenge, “Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen” (Hebrews 11:1 TPT). Some things we desire are beyond the horizon and may only be seen in heaven, but we can still seek them. 
Theme passage:
“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth” (Hebrews 11:13).

Because of Your great Mercies 
Heard on High
Terry R. Baughman

“O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name” (Daniel 9:18–19 NKJV). 

Desperate times call for desperate prayers! Daniel interceded to God for the destruction of the City of Jerusalem and the nation. Not only was the city looted, torn apart, and burned, but the leadership had been either murdered or exiled to a foreign country. Daniel himself was taken as a prisoner and assigned duties in the palace of a pagan power. His times were desperate!

Daniel was committed to God and found great strength in daily prayers. In fact, it became his practice to open a window and pray toward Jerusalem three times each day. Though his prayers were personal and directed solely toward God others saw and noted his habit and his continual devotion to the Lord God of Israel. This was not a short term assignment or a singular event. Throughout the seventy years of exile in Babylon and Daniel’s lifetime he continually prayed for his people, the city, and for the restoration that was promised. 

Daniel would never participate in the repatriation. He would not be among the thousands who eventually returned to rebuild Jerusalem. As an elderly man in exile he would stay in Babylon until his death, but he could always pray for God’s purposes to be fulfilled, and he did. 

The content of Daniel’s prayer of repentance and plea for restoration was recorded in the Book of Daniel 9:4–19. He confessed the sins of his people as he personally identified with their failure and he prayed, “We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets” (Daniel 9:5–6 NIV). He continued his lament, “We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you” (Daniel 9:8 NIV).

The disaster of judgment was deserved. The nations of Israel and Judah had forsaken the Commandments and sinned against the Lord of the Covenant. Daniel offered no excuses or made any attempt to justify their sin. He simply confessed to the national failure to follow after God and repented of their sins that had resulted in their destruction. He admitted, “The Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him” (Daniel 9:14 NIV). 

Daniel made an appeal to God based on His righteousness and the reputation of His character. He addressed Him as the, “Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day” (Daniel 9:15 NIV). He reminded the Lord of His reputation among the nations and the righteous acts of the past. The name of the Lord was upon the City of Jerusalem and His reputation was at stake. He petitioned, “In keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill” (Daniel 9:16 NIV).
Daniel’s prayer was not based on anything he or his people deserved, but he solely appealed to the mercies of God. He prayed, “Because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name” (Daniel 9:18–19 NIV).

We can pray with confidence because of His great mercy.
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Theme passage:
“We know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:15).

Then I will Hear 
Heard on High
Terry R. Baughman

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV). 

Often when we pray we may feel that we speak in vain and the sound of our voice bounces off of empty walls and a solid ceiling. We try to believe that God hears us but our faith is low and we are unsure of God’s attention. It is then that the Word of God offers us the assurance of all we need to know; that our voice is being heard and God is not far from us. Our prayers are touching heaven and His answer will come.

In the context of the verse above, Solomon had finished building the temple of the Lord and completed its grand dedication. God confirmed His pleasure with His presence as, “the glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house” (2 Chronicles 7:1–2). This confirmation of God’s presence was evident to all the people who gathered for this occasion. It was a sign to all that God was among His people and had blessed the efforts of their leadership to provide a central place of worship for all the nation. The people bowed down, “worshiped and praised the Lord, saying: ‘For He is good, For His mercy endures forever’” (2 Chronicles 7:3).

Some time after this dedication the Lord appeared to Solomon and revealed some of the consequences of disobedience. Though God was real and present with them He cautioned them about things to come. When they ignored God and failed to follow after Him; when they embraced the pagan practices of religion from surrounding nations; or when they abandoned the covenant with God they could expect judgment on their nation. That did not indicate hopelessness or despair rather an opportunity to repent and turn back to God. He said, “When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:13–14).

We have seen times of intense drought, swarming pests, raging forest fires, the pandemic of a coronavirus and many other calamities in recent times. Does this suggest the judgment of God is being revealed against people who have abandoned faith and embraced the profane? It certainly seems like a similar response to what God exacted against Israel following the days of Solomon. We have no reason to expect that God would not respond to our prayer in the same way He promised to respond to a repentant people in this text. When people humble themselves in repentance, seeking the face of God, we have the promise of an answer from heaven, forgiveness for our sins, and healing for our land. God said, “I will hear from heaven!”

Through times of tremendous adversity, it is well to recall the promise of God to hear us. We may find great consolation in the fact that God is listening even when we don’t feel His presence or see the work of His hand. He still hears us. 

Pray with confidence. Pray with care, because He really is tuned in to our conversation with Him. When we begin to see answers to our prayers, our faith will soar and we will proclaim the greatness of our God. So let us begin now, before the answer arrives, praising Him for hearing us and for the answers that He is preparing.

He will hear us!
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Theme passage:
“We know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:15).

Asked and Answered 
Heard on High
Terry R. Baughman
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11–13 NKJV). 
Often we have used the verse above and focused on “thoughts of peace” or “a future and a hope.” In the larger context we are given a promise that when we call on the Lord and pray to Him, He will listen. As we seek the Lord we are assured that we will find Him, particularly when we seek with all our passion. All we have to do is ask. As we voice our prayer toward heaven we know that He hears and He is preparing an answer for us.
Children are often persistent in their repeated requests. When they want something strongly enough they will continue asking until they get the answer that they desire. One particular persistent child would not take no for an answer. She would continue to press for the answer that she wanted. Her parents finally had to tell her, “Asked and answered!” She learned that when she pressed the issue too far this would be the response and she was unlikely to get a change of outcome. Of course, this illustration anticipates a negative response without an expected change. 
With God, very often we find that He has already promised a positive outcome. Just because we have not seen the evidence of its completion we continue asking for something that He has already granted. Perhaps God looks down in our times of prayers of petition and responds, “Asked and answered!” When we have a Word from the Lord that He has heard us, we can rest assured that the answer is on the way. We don't have to see the final outcome to know that He hears us. Faith assures us of His attention and gives us confidence in His answer. 
Prayers are powerful. James said, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). The prophet Elijah was offered as an example of fervent and effective prayer. James recalled that the prophet prayed and the heavens ceased from pouring out rain on the earth. The drought continued for three and a half years. Yet, when he prayed again for the rain to return the answer was incredible and miraculous. There was a sound of an abundance of rain after the showdown with the false prophets of Baal and the simple faith filled prayer of the man of God. Before the sign of rain the prophet prayed for a sign from heaven. He prayed until he saw a small cloud arise over the sea. That was all the assurance he needed and he warned King Ahab to head for the city before the rains descended. He asked and God answered!
Our our prayer should be offered with the full confidence that we are being heard. So many promises in Scripture confirm a positive answer to our petitions. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). Let our faith arise in the promises of Scripture and in the words of Jesus. 
If we can take these words to heart our prayers will change. No longer are prayers repeated words of obligation or rote recitation, but they will become faith petitions and deliberate requests knowing that God not only hears us when we pray; He answers! We may pray more carefully knowing that what we ask can have eternal significance. God will move heaven and earth to respond to our earnest prayers and fervent petitions. They will be asked and answered!  
Theme passage:
“We know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:15).

Your Will be Done 
Heard on High
Terry R. Baughman

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10 NKJV). 

Essentially, prayer must be offered in the authority of the name of Jesus. Whenever we ask in His name we are assured that He hears us and we have confidence that He will respond to our petitions. When He answers we know that His will is being done in earth as it is already being accomplished in heaven. The Lord’s example models to us the effectiveness of prayer according to His will; that His purposes in earth will mirror the performance of His plan in the heavens. As John revealed, “This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).

Knowing God and the intent of His purpose allows us to have an insightful understanding of powerful prayer. When we know Him, we know His will. When we pray according to His will, there is a promise of a positive response to our requests. 

How can we know God? How can we know His will and the divine intent of our prayers? We often think it is impossible to know God to that extent where we may have intimate knowledge of His plans and purpose. However, Paul expressed this was exactly God’s desire for the church. He said, “God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (Ephesians 3:9–12).

God’s desire is that we might have an intimate understanding of His thoughts and His ways. It is His desire that we may pray effectively and in unity with His purposes. When we pray earnestly and effectively, that being in His Will, we will find our prayers to be powerful. 

James spoke of Elijah’s prayer that stopped the rains in Israel for three and a half years. Yet, when Elijah prayed again, in conjunction with God’s plan, the rains returned and God was magnified in the nation. “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit” (James 5:16–18). The key for Elijah’s day and for ours is that we might understand our times, observe what God is doing, and know His Word through a study of Scripture. We may then pray according to God’s Will and in unity with His purpose. 

It was said of the Sons of Issachar that they, “had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). May God grant us that wisdom in these latter days to know what is the will of God and the mind of the Spirit. Let us pray according to Christ’s pattern, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Praying in faith, His will be done!
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Theme passage:
“We know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:15).

Hear my Cry 
Heard on High
Terry R. Baughman
“Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy” (Psalm 61:1-3 NKJV). 
Sometimes we cry out in desperation, sometimes in faith. The important thing is to cry out confidently to a God who hears on high. 
When everything is going wrong and problems seem to be overwhelming the last thing we need is someone to coach us on the proper way to pray or the correct posture to present our petitions. Perfectly folded hands or fingertips carefully aligned and pointing to heaven may be great models for art or sculpture, but not very helpful when one needs an answer from heaven. 
From the pit of despair only a heartfelt cry serves to communicate the desperate desire for relief from suffering. Pain gives anguish a voice and hopelessness is heard through the tears of travail. We learn to weep when we know suffering. We find relief when we learn to cry. Our pleas for rescue become prayers for intervention. When our voice becomes a vehicle of intercession we find access into the healing resources of heaven’s provision. 
We can be assured that God hears us when we cry out to Him. John wrote, “This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14). Confidence is the assurance of His responsiveness, the conviction of His love, and the positive belief that He has the answer for every present situation. 
There should be no doubt that we have the attention of heaven when we call on the name of Jesus. “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14). When you speak the name of Jesus Christ you will have His attention. Through His name there is power against every adversity and the authority to dominate “every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
In the Psalms we find this assurance, “The Lord will hear when I call to Him” (4:3). David said, “In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears” (18:6). We have His promise, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth” (145:18).
Not only are we speaking to God, but in our crying out to Him we find that He is speaking to us. In The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis wrote, “We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” In the midst of a pandemic, a problem, or persistent pain, God is speaking loudly and encouraging us to communicate with Him. He will be the shelter, that secure place of consolation in the course of crisis.  
Remember, He hears us!
Theme passage:
“We know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:15).

Awaken to Renewal 
The 2020 Awakening! 
Terry R. Baughman
“According to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:5-6 NKJV). 
God loves people more than we do! In His divine favor and mercy He has extended the opportunity for salvation to everyone in the world. As John recorded, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). If He went to such great lengths to save us, why would He fail to restore and renew the fallen who had once received His grace? 
God’s incredible plan of salvation spans the generations and His provision is without limits. Paul wrote that we, “being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend … what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge” (Ephesians 3:17–19). It is only when we experience His love that we can begin to comprehend the dimension of His grace; then we can begin to know that which surpasses knowledge! 
When we were sinners Christ died for us, so why is it so hard to accept His love when we have fallen short and given in to sin? (See Romans 5:8.) It was to believers that John wrote, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). This assures us that even as believers we will fail; we may falter and fall, but God is faithful to forgive. Grace is the gift of God and it is freely given. Paul said, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). Grace is not just for our initial experience of salvation, but continually embraced throughout our journey of life. We need His grace to save us and to sustain us until the day we are in His presence. 
The message of grace does not condone sin and excuse our failings, but true grace lifts us from condemnation and enables us to become victorious over our sins. The Spirit of God works in us to transform us through the renewing of our minds. The renewal is part of God’s amazing work of transformation. The thinking of the world demands conformity, but the power of God transforms our thinking in alignment with His perfect will. Paul challenged us, “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.” He said, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).
The thrill of salvation and the joy in the New Birth experience is often assigned to new converts freshly touched by God’s grace and set free from the bondage of sin. However, the same ecstasy can be felt in the experience of renewal. The load of our own making can be just as burdensome as the sin we once carried. Our guilt, our shortcomings, our failings, and even our sin can become an overwhelming weight. There is hope in a fresh experience of forgiveness and radical relief in renewal. Awaken to grace. Accept His forgiveness and favor. Rejoice in the renewal of His Holy Spirit and walk forward in faith!
Theme passage:
“Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11).

Awaken to Reality 
The 2020 Awakening! 
Terry R. Baughman

“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it. For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, and those who plundered us requested mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” (Psalm 137:1-4 NKJV). 

In the beginning of the novel coronavirus, known at COVID-19, we willingly hunkered down for two weeks, almost gleeful that we had a forced vacation to stay at home. At the end of March, stay-at-home orders were extended for another thirty days and our vacation was over. We then felt in confinement, imprisoned in our homes and wondering if we were breaking the law when we ventured out for something that wasn’t essential. 

The virus struck closer to home and many in our circles of friends became affected, some quite seriously, and a few friends died as a consequence of the pandemic. This caused us all to realize the seriousness of the rapid spread of the virus. Yet, we longed for the end of this outbreak, the opening of our favorite restaurants, and a quick return to normal life and routine events. 

As businesses and events began to open up the spike in infections and hospitalizations began to arise. This fueled more fears and the acute awareness that were were not back to normal. New restrictions were imposed and social gatherings were limited. Other constraints on our freedoms have been imposed by business owners, health authorities and local governments. 

As the weeks wore on we came to the realization that things will never be normal, at least not in the sense that we were accustomed to just a few months previous. Contact among strangers is not allowed. Plexiglas walls divide us from customer service personnel. Only the eyes and body language communicate and kind expressions and smiles are hidden behind masks, bandanas, or scarves. We pass in the stores without expression and it seems that we are completely alone in the middle of a crowd. 

We are not the first to feel displacement, isolation, and depression in the midst of difficult social and cultural disruptions. Many people have suffered far worse conditions and lived to share their experience. 

Thousands of the occupants of Judah were taken captive in and around Jerusalem and were enslaved. More than 50,000 people were marched in long processions roped together and driven like cattle for hundreds of miles to the place of their encampment. The weak or sick died on the journey or were abandoned without hope. At their destination there was only the prospect of slave labor offered in exchange for a meager existence in a strange land. Who can sing in a foreign place? This was their new normal. For seventy years in exile this was their reality. 

In America we have enjoyed a life of peace, liberties, and social acceptance, until now. While we hope to get back to something akin to our previous existence, we recognize that many liberties once taken for granted can swiftly be taken away. We cannot be lulled into apathetic acceptance of things as they are, we must awaken to the fact that we are nearing the end of time. Things are not likely to improve much, but rather there will be more challenges in the days ahead. 

Awaken to the new reality; embrace the times as a new opportunity and let us work, “while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4).
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Theme passage:
“Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11).