Last week we talked about the Israelites and their longing for their Messiah. Their longing spanned many, many generations. They waited and waited for God to fulfill his promise. Like those ancient Israelites we also are a people who long, we long as a community of believers for the coming of Christ but we also long deeply as individuals. We brought the deepest longings of our heart onto our yoga mats and as we focussed our physical asanas, our physical practice on opening our hearts, we shared those deep longings in our hearts in prayer with God. But what sustains our longing? What gives us a reason to hold onto that longing and not just give up and throw in the towel when things don’t go our way? As followers of Jesus, we have the gift of hope, an anticipation of God showing up, and expectation that he will make himself known in our lives. Hope is not just wishing or wanting or trying to think positively. NO. It is based on our knowledge of who God is, his faithfulness to his promises, his bigger-than-life love for us, his desire for us to live fully and abundantly. And we know God’s history through time. When he makes a promise he fulfills his promises. And since we know he does not change, we can rely on him. Maybe now from your own personal history with God, your own walk, your own journey, you can recall his faithfulness to you. Where in your past have you seen God show up in your own life? As you remember, give thanks. This remembering sustains your hope. Then look hopefully and expectantly forward. And you can stand on hope knowing that he who has begun a good work within you will be faithful to see it through to completion.
Live your life in wonder and awe at the memory of God’s promises, faithfulness and goodness. Let wonder and awe guide you in worship through your yoga practice today.