Hope
Shaun and I went to a wedding a couple of weeks ago, it was by far the most depressing ceremony I have ever attended! I mean sad; I felt bad for the couple, and I love weddings! I love the joy, happiness and hope I feel and see….. and the cake! Yummm. However, I did not experience any of these at this particular wedding.
The officiant began his speech with “what love isn’t” and basically said the entire opposite of 1st Corinthians 13…..and then wrapped it up with, “love is what’s left when you fall out of love with each other”. I was asking myself, “where did they find this clown?” Forgive me Lord. But where’s the love? Hope? Joy?
Then I started thinking, praying about hope. Where is my hope? Am I being hopeful to family, friends, coworkers? Do I leave them feeling better and hopeful after interacting with them? Do I speak life or death? Do I, in a roundabout way, let everyone I come in contact with, know God has everything under control, that nothing catches Him by surprise and that we should trust in His plan, not ours? Do I point them to Jesus in all I do or say? Those are big questions!
Thank you, Jesus; we are being metamorphized into your likeness!
Hope is an integral part of society today! People are desperate; desperate to know Jesus, whether they realize it or not. If we do not seem joyful, loving, hopeful and exude all the qualities of Jesus in our everyday lifestyle, then how are we any different than un-believers?
Jesus is the Hope for the nations, so we need to be that hope as well! We are all Jesus was and is!!!!! He is our living hope! Our hope is in Him!
We must be able to point others to Him, share His love, and season (because we are salty) the earth with the taste of heaven, especially in the darkest times!
Psalm 39:7…… says my only hope is to hope in you alone!
Romans 5:1-5…… should make us the most thankful, joyful and full of hope people because of our faith in Him!
Romans 15:13…...Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in Him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope!
Being believers, we have the assurance of things hoped for, we have faith! Faith in that Jesus did something we prayed for, and He answered, so He will do it again!!!! We are empowered by this promise of hope and faith in Him. We trust because He is faithful and His promises never fail.
In the days coming, I feel the need to have uncompromising faith; unwavering, relentless, dig our heels deep into the One who is our Defender, Our Peace, Comforter, Wise Counselor, Healer, Redeemer, Way maker, Provider……..I could go all day telling the Goodness of God! We need to know that our faith in Our Maker is steadfast, trustworthy and the biggest reality we have. He will never fail!
We have all of Heaven cheering us on! Let us lean into all His Goodness until we overflow with being in the fountain of Hope Himself!
Cheryl Stoddard
September 15, 2021
The officiant began his speech with “what love isn’t” and basically said the entire opposite of 1st Corinthians 13…..and then wrapped it up with, “love is what’s left when you fall out of love with each other”. I was asking myself, “where did they find this clown?” Forgive me Lord. But where’s the love? Hope? Joy?
Then I started thinking, praying about hope. Where is my hope? Am I being hopeful to family, friends, coworkers? Do I leave them feeling better and hopeful after interacting with them? Do I speak life or death? Do I, in a roundabout way, let everyone I come in contact with, know God has everything under control, that nothing catches Him by surprise and that we should trust in His plan, not ours? Do I point them to Jesus in all I do or say? Those are big questions!
Thank you, Jesus; we are being metamorphized into your likeness!
Hope is an integral part of society today! People are desperate; desperate to know Jesus, whether they realize it or not. If we do not seem joyful, loving, hopeful and exude all the qualities of Jesus in our everyday lifestyle, then how are we any different than un-believers?
Jesus is the Hope for the nations, so we need to be that hope as well! We are all Jesus was and is!!!!! He is our living hope! Our hope is in Him!
We must be able to point others to Him, share His love, and season (because we are salty) the earth with the taste of heaven, especially in the darkest times!
Psalm 39:7…… says my only hope is to hope in you alone!
Romans 5:1-5…… should make us the most thankful, joyful and full of hope people because of our faith in Him!
Romans 15:13…...Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in Him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope!
Being believers, we have the assurance of things hoped for, we have faith! Faith in that Jesus did something we prayed for, and He answered, so He will do it again!!!! We are empowered by this promise of hope and faith in Him. We trust because He is faithful and His promises never fail.
In the days coming, I feel the need to have uncompromising faith; unwavering, relentless, dig our heels deep into the One who is our Defender, Our Peace, Comforter, Wise Counselor, Healer, Redeemer, Way maker, Provider……..I could go all day telling the Goodness of God! We need to know that our faith in Our Maker is steadfast, trustworthy and the biggest reality we have. He will never fail!
We have all of Heaven cheering us on! Let us lean into all His Goodness until we overflow with being in the fountain of Hope Himself!
Cheryl Stoddard
September 15, 2021
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