Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Looking for signs of HOPE in Alhambra

What are signs of hope?
The Webster’s Dictionary defines hope as “to desire with expectation of obtainment, to expect with confidence, to anticipate or look forward to the coming or occurrence of.”

What do you hope for? What do you look forward to? What does the Church and City hope for?

As believers, we hope for God to be made known in our city – for the sign of God’s promise: that He loves us and will not leave us and that He is transforming us and our cities. We hope for healing, transformation and redemption for ourselves and for Alhambra. Is this a wishful hope or a realistic one?

God promises that He will be with us - Ezekiel 48:35 "And the name of the city from that time on will be: THE LORD IS THERE."

And we know according to God’s Word that He has plans and purposes we have yet to see for ourselves and for our cities/communities.

What does the City hope for? Healing, purpose, future, survival?

God promises to restore the land and the people. But do we believe it? Do we look for it? Where do you see the Lord in our city? What hope can we share with this City? If God is alive and well in Alhambra – what are the signs of His hope here?

Last month there was a gathering of people representing the Church and City in the LA region who came together to share, learn and see the signs of God’s hope in the LA region. Signs of Hope LA (www.signsofhopela.org) challenged us to be aware, to see that the Lord is here in our cities.

What do you think? What do you see in Alhambra? What do you hope for?