Finding Hope and Grace

Sunset, Sunday, September 14, 2025

Our first question at Sunday School this week was a doozy, considering the week the world had had.

"Can you think of a time when you felt like giving up on people? What helped you come back to a place of grace or hope?" 

I'd like to say that the lesson then shared a revolutionary "How to save the world in 10 easy steps." It didn't. 

The lesson centered on Psalm 14. And, at first glance, Psalm 14 is pretty depressing. 

The fool says in his heart,
    “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
    there is no one who does good.

² The Lord looks down from heaven
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
    any who seek God.
³ All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
    there is no one who does good,
    not even one.

Yikes ... After that first question, I thought we were supposed to be finding grace and hope. 

So ...  How do we find hope? How do we keep hope? 

I didn't quit thinking about it after I left the Sunday School room. Or after I trudged down the church steps to the car after the church service. 

On Monday, I looked up the lesson summary from UMC Discipleship (the source of the Sunday School material). It says that in Psalm 14, hope happens somewhere in the space between the comma and the “but”: 

“You would confound the plans of the poor, BUT the LORD is their refuge” (Psalm 14:6).

But God. 

But the good news.

But grace. 

 

We find and keep hope when we name all that is hard in our world ...

Take a breath ... 

And then remember, BUT GOD.

 

However, if we are trying to find God on social media, it may be tough. 

 

If we are trying to find God when we only get our news from the sources that confirm our own ideas and denigrate anyone who dares to disagree, it may be tough. 

 

Sunset, Sunday, September 14, 2025

 

For me, it's a lot easier to find God on a lonely country road, surrounded by God's beautiful creation. 

 

Just maybe, it will give us the strength to encourage one another to live in hope instead of despair.

The psalm suggests that God is a refuge for the poor and the righteous. What does it mean for God to be a refuge? The Sunday School lesson suggests:

• A place of safety, dignity, and protection
• A place of truth-telling without rejection
• A source of strength when the world feels hostile.

Sunset, Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, January 2022

Maybe if we follow Jesus' example, the ripples could be far-reaching. 

It's worth a try, right? 

Sunset, Sunday, September 14, 2025

Closing Prayer from the Sunday School lesson:

God of justice and mercy, when the world seems filled with disappointment or corruption, remind us that you are still our refuge. Help us to see others as you see them, not as categories, but as beloved children. Soften our hearts and strengthen our hope. In Jesus' name, Amen.

And giving credit where credit is due: The Sunday School lesson was written by the Rev. Anthony J. Tang, the Senior Associate Minister of Mission and Vision at First United Methodist Church of Dallas, Texas.