These lines are full of meaning and depth. They were not just written for the sake of putting a few lines together. They were written by Paul over much reflection on how he felt God was present in his life. Like all of us Paul grappled with the great issues of life only to end up in admiration of God’s boundless wisdom. Paul had a great appreciation of the richness and depths of God’s blessings in his life. Sometimes we might not be as confident or as sure as Paul. We appreciate that the energy and presence of God exists out there somewhere. We know it’s the heartbeat of our lives, our world and the universe at large. Yet we also have to face moments in life that really test our faith.

As we know life can be unpredictable and uncertain. Like a gentle tide that lifts our boat it can also turn into a raging storm threatening to swamp us. Yet in the middle of every uncertainty, storm and darkness, there remains a sense of hope and optimism. This hope and optimism is at the heart of the Easter story too. Take away these and there can be no Easter. But what do we mean by hope and optimism? They can be empty and shallow if left on their own but in the context of a loving God they are powerful and liberating. When all else seems to be gone, God will always be there and will never abandon or desert us. This is real hope and it is life giving. We pray to God today and during this month of May, to help us through all the challenges of life. We pray that we will always remain hopeful, knowing that God will always be at our side even when we are not so sure.