Tanya Frazier - Finding Hope amidst Despair - Communion, October 4, 2026

About a month ago, I was about to go to bed, and the Holy Spirit prompted me, before you go to bed, I want you to read your Bible.

And it was at the pages that were where it was open.

And it was in Jeremiah from around chapter 27 through to 3031.

And it gave me a really interesting picture.

There were some hints in the passages of future changes to the lives of the people that it was talking to, but it was mostly heavy in how I read it.

And what struck me was the amount of calamity and harsh prophecy and judgment that surrounds one of the most quoted verses in the Bible.

A verse that's brought me to tears in times of desperation that actually released comfort in that time.

Other times it's given me affirmation and just this resolve of the goodness of our Father.

And sometimes it's like this fist pumping, victory, yes, in my spirit that inspires and spurs me into greater faith.

And of course, I'm talking about Jeremiah 29, 11.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.

Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.

Plans to give you a hope and a future.

Other versions of it say, the thoughts I have for you towards you.

But amazingly, that's surrounded by verses of captivity and bloodshed and punishment and famine, yokes of iron around the necks of those to serve the king of Babylon.

They were in captivity, but the Lord said for them to multiply in that place and to seek peace.

The Lord promises that he will return.

And when they seek him, they will find him, and he will bring them out of captivity.

But then the verses go back to the sword being sent and famine and judgment.

And I just thought it reminded me of the picture that we see with the cross.

There was so much hope in the middle of great despair of what was happening around Jesus.

They must have felt so much to lose their Savior.

Instead of him saving them, like they probably had a picture of how he would, they saw him die a horrible death.

They went through grief, despair, and lost hope.

Shocked, he was gone.

But after Jesus returned and then ascended, great and wonderful things also happened.

Many converts were saved, and the hope of the gospel was shared.

But even then there were troubles.

Christians were burnt and killed for their spreading the great hope that we have in Jesus and reminding people that the Father did restore us from captivity and still holds hope and promise for our future.

I used to wear literally rose-colored glasses, sunglasses that were raspberry colored, but also mentally I wanted to only look at the rosy aspects of life.

But it's okay to see the difficulties around us.

There are going to be times that are going to be difficult.

But it makes the hope of the cross shine even brighter.

It inspires faith in our good Father.

And his plans were never to keep us in the strife bound and captive.

But instead, he gave us freedom, adoption, and victory over so many things through his Son Jesus.

And instead of iron yokes, we have Jesus' light yoke leading us in the paths of righteousness.

For giving us Jesus.

And six years ago at Bible College, I had a promise spoken over me from God about releasing people from grief and pain through teaching them art.

And there was a description of that place that I would do it.

And it's exactly where I opened yesterday.

Six years ago, that was spoken over me.

Two years ago, I moved into this house and have been watching that studio empty and wondering when the promise of God was coming.

And yesterday, when I opened it, he reminded me, this is what I've bought for you.

And the plans and the hope that he brings for us are so often for so many other people.

And I'm so grateful that he has mighty plans for us.

So let's thank him for those that he speaks over us to bring hope to others.

Thank him for the hope of the cross and for sending the Holy Spirit completing our Father's perfect plan.

And as we take communion, I feel it's a bit a little bit like the responses that I often had to the verse.

There might be tears of gratitude for the hope, a quiet resolve for what he's freely given.

Or maybe it might be a victory cheers to the hope and the future that Jesus gave us from the cross.

So as we take communion, just think on those things.

Thank you.