welcome to today's encouragement from our daily bread I'm Bill Crowder and I titled are reading I Heard the Bells
 I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day based on an 1863 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a truly unusual Christmas song
 instead of the expected Christmas joy and mirth the lyric forms of lament crying out and in despair I bowed my head there is no peace on Earth I said for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on Earth Goodwill to men
 this woman however moves forward into hope reassuring us that God is not dead nor does he sleep the wrong shall fail the right Prevail with peace on Earth Goodwill toward men
 the pattern of Hope Rising out of lament is also found in the lament Psalms of the Bible
 as such Psalm 43 begins with the psalmist crying out about his enemies Who attack him and his God who seems to have forgotten him but the singer doesn't stay in lament he looks up to the God he doesn't fully understand but still trusts singing why my soul are you downcast why so Disturbed within me put your hope in God for I will yet Praise Him My Savior and my God
 life is filled with reasons for limit and we all experienced them on a regular basis but if we allow that lament to point us to the god of hope we can sing joyfully even if we sing through our tears
 today's our daily bread devotional scripture reading is Psalm 43
 vindicate me my God and plead my cause against an Unfaithful Nation rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked you are my God my stronghold why have you rejected me why must I go about mourning oppressed by the enemy send me your light and your faithful care let them lead me let them bring me to your Holy Mountain to the place where you dwell then I will go to the altar of God to God my joy and my delight I will praise you with the lyre oh God my God why am I so are you downcast why so Disturbed within me put your hope in God for I will yet Praise Him My Savior and my God
 let's pray
 we cry to you father as we struggle under the burdens of Life remind us that our help comes from above from the maker of heaven and Earth thank you Lord is in Jesus name we pray amen
 today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries