I thought we might wallow in hope this weekend. I need it, I don’t know about you.

Is it just me or do you mourn when the news of our world slumps to another low?

And it’s not just blagging, phone-hacking journalists, for now yet another country – Italy – topples into the economic junk yard. Who’s next?

There’s also the irony of a scandalised Press being judged by a parliament still in recovery from its own corruption.

It’s also a careless, corrupt world that produces skeletal babes by the million in the Horn of Africa – yet again – when solutions are available. When we’ve made such an almighty mess of things down here, hope descends from the Almighty.

‘Be strong, courageous, and firm; fear not… for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not fail you nor forsake you’ (Deuteronomy 31:6).

God reminds us of whose company we’re in when we walk with him, just as he did with his first people, the Israelites, in their wilderness.

“Fear not; stand still (firm, confident, undismayed) and see the (deliverance) of the Lord which he will work in you today’ (Exodus 14:13).

God gave us free will, which we often use for own ends (hacking, blagging, economic mismanagement and corruption-fed famines) but he gives helpful hope to all who turn to his will.

‘Do not fret… talk to me… and my peace, which passes all human understanding, will mount guard over your hearts and minds.’ (Philippians 4:6-7).

Why listen to the voice of fear when God wants to speak to you?