Have you ever audibly heard His voice? I had never. I've felt it. Felt it burn, like a brand, words on my heart. Felt it like a wind, whispered across my mind. I've seen His words in color but never had I heard them. Not until today.
Everlasting your light will shine when all else fades
Never-ending your glory goes beyond all fame
That's the line of a beautiful song we sang this morning. But what I heard was the word hope instead of the word light. "Everlasting, Your Hope will shine when all else fades..." The praise and worship leader did not sing it. I didn't say it. I wasn't even thinking it. I heard it. So clearly. "hope will shine..." I was so stunned and kind of disoriented that I didn't realize it at first. I turned around to see who could be standing so close that I would hear them singing that clearly. But I was sitting alone.
Your hope will shine when all else fades...
Then I started thinking about that. And the more I thought about it the bigger the idea became in my mind. Doesn't it seem like the more hopeless a situation is the more God expects us to hope, trust, and have faith in Him? It's like it's kind of the point. Like He says, "Yeah I made you weak on purpose." That kind of got me thinking about that scripture from Romans 5. (which is interesting because my pastor referenced the same verse...hmm wonder if God is trying to say something??)
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Note the word tribulation. When I think of that word I think about pretty much everything bad that could happen, happening.
Your hope will shine when all else fades....
When all else fades? When life is darkness and pitched in despair. When life has no meaning and all is bleak and hopeless. His hope will shine. Like a light. Like a beacon in a storm tossed night mare. Like the breaking light of dawn, not in the morning, but at midnight when the night is darkest.
And surviving isn't enough. He's working out perseverance in us and that proves our character. All those impurities within us get burned out in the fire and when it feels like nothing is left we finally get around to figuring out hope. Waking up, eating, working, sleeping, living, it's not enough! I've known women who have survived horrible experiences in life but He says that's not enough. Oh if we could just believe He's got it all figured out, that He has a plan and is perfectly capable of working it out for us!
When we come out on the other end of proven character there's nothing to be disappointed about because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. I love that! I used to not get it. But now I see that hope is like a check written for the cost of your life. You don't have to worry about that check bouncing because it's backed with all the currency He has. Love. It's almost like the word hope is an oxymoron. It seems to imply that whatever you're "hoping" for could possibly not happen. But when your hope is in Him, it's a sure thing. No doubt about it and you know this with every fiber of your being.
He's still teaching me what His hope is all about and what it means for me to have hope. But I think I'm finally starting to get it. What about you?
Showing posts with label God of Hope. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God of Hope. Show all posts
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Hulk-Up
Has it really been a week since my last post? Wow that's a first. I've had a bit of writer's block I guess. It's not that there hasn't been anything inspiring going on around me, I've just been overwhelmed lately. I've been brought low in my circumstances and it has been all I can do to encourage myself and walk with the Lord. Guess there hasn't been enough to go around.
Which brings me to my blog post today. I've been a big fat baby. Seriously! I finally woke up out of my daze and realized "Hey! This life, this relationship with God, this hope thing, it's work sometimes!" I gotta get busy.
My thoughts are a bit muddled right now so let me do my best to explain. In many areas of my life, all along the way I've wanted God to be my magic genie and step in, snap His fingers and save the day. You know what? He has saved the day but rarely has it happened like that. It takes work on my part too. When I was in the deepest darkest pit, living fear, He stepped in, scooped me up and brought light to my life. But it was a daily process and took a lot of effort on my part too. Prayer, and lots of it. Trust, by the bucket loads. And now I'm learning about hope.
In my discipleship group hope has been one of the main topics and in the women's retreat I just attended it was the theme. I don't want to go all into that here but the main thing I discovered was that just like everything else, I have to do something. Wallowing in self-pity or self-whatever and crying out "Why God?" isn't enough. I know He hears my cry and He has mercy and favor for me but He's called me to do something too.
The bottom line? Nothing I've gone through is anything compared to what Christ went through for me. It's like He called to me this weekend "Man up girl!" Man up in Him. He's the man. I needed a spiritual "Hulk-up" so to speak.
Hebrews 12 MSG
1-3Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!
Discipline is a long distance race. You gotta come prepared and you need "power-ups" a long the way. On your own you'll never make it. His grace is new each day. He gives us daily bread. His love is never ending. Hope in Him, the God of hope. That takes something, it takes action, effort. It means reminding yourself of all He's done, of His promises. It means being thankful. It means filling yourself up with His Word and when you've done all you can do, you stand. Ephesians 6 NASB 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore....
Which brings me to my blog post today. I've been a big fat baby. Seriously! I finally woke up out of my daze and realized "Hey! This life, this relationship with God, this hope thing, it's work sometimes!" I gotta get busy.
My thoughts are a bit muddled right now so let me do my best to explain. In many areas of my life, all along the way I've wanted God to be my magic genie and step in, snap His fingers and save the day. You know what? He has saved the day but rarely has it happened like that. It takes work on my part too. When I was in the deepest darkest pit, living fear, He stepped in, scooped me up and brought light to my life. But it was a daily process and took a lot of effort on my part too. Prayer, and lots of it. Trust, by the bucket loads. And now I'm learning about hope.
In my discipleship group hope has been one of the main topics and in the women's retreat I just attended it was the theme. I don't want to go all into that here but the main thing I discovered was that just like everything else, I have to do something. Wallowing in self-pity or self-whatever and crying out "Why God?" isn't enough. I know He hears my cry and He has mercy and favor for me but He's called me to do something too.
The bottom line? Nothing I've gone through is anything compared to what Christ went through for me. It's like He called to me this weekend "Man up girl!" Man up in Him. He's the man. I needed a spiritual "Hulk-up" so to speak.
Hebrews 12 MSG
1-3Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!
Discipline is a long distance race. You gotta come prepared and you need "power-ups" a long the way. On your own you'll never make it. His grace is new each day. He gives us daily bread. His love is never ending. Hope in Him, the God of hope. That takes something, it takes action, effort. It means reminding yourself of all He's done, of His promises. It means being thankful. It means filling yourself up with His Word and when you've done all you can do, you stand. Ephesians 6 NASB 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore....
Monday, August 29, 2011
God of Hope
I was thinking about the prodigal son last night. We have probably all been there and probably all know someone who is like the prodigal son. I was praying for this certain someone in my life.
Feeling hopeless.
"God what if they never come home?"
You know what I believe He said?
"I'll still be watching. Hoping."
God hoping? Does God hope? I mean, yeah I guess He does but I never thought of it like that before.
He gave His Son. Hoping.
The Father stood there on his porch waiting for His son. Watching. Hoping he would return. Knowing he may never come back.
Even though nothing changed about this person in my life, my perspective did. No matter what, God doesn't give up. Why should I? Can I trust Him enough to fall back into the ocean of hope that is the Father's love? For today. I can chose hope and joy and love. For today. That's all He's asking of me. His grace is enough for today.
Feeling hopeless.
"God what if they never come home?"
You know what I believe He said?
"I'll still be watching. Hoping."
God hoping? Does God hope? I mean, yeah I guess He does but I never thought of it like that before.
He gave His Son. Hoping.
The Father stood there on his porch waiting for His son. Watching. Hoping he would return. Knowing he may never come back.
Even though nothing changed about this person in my life, my perspective did. No matter what, God doesn't give up. Why should I? Can I trust Him enough to fall back into the ocean of hope that is the Father's love? For today. I can chose hope and joy and love. For today. That's all He's asking of me. His grace is enough for today.
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