hope!

Sunday, January 1, 2012 (7:59 a.m.)

Thank You Jesus!

Throughout the night I moaned. I plotted. I planned. I was going to come here asking for prayers for myself. In the light of day, while I do still ask that anyone so inclined would pray for the relief from pain I might get from my aching arm, that is no longer my focus.

Thank You Jesus! Thank You that by entering the words “hope in all things bible verse” I found exactly that. Hope!

Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth offers me Truth and hope on every page. Beginning in the fourth chapter, verses 16-18 and following over to chapter 12, verses 9 and 10 I find reminders of hope.

Quoting here from the New Life Version I confess Dearest Jesus that some of these words are what I truly hope to believe and attain. “This is the reason we do not give up. Our human body is wearing out” (2Corinthians 4:16a). Amen to that! “But our spirits are getting stronger every day” (16b). Yes Lord Jesus, please! “The little troubles we suffer now for a short time are making us ready for the great things God is going to give us forever” (17). That is truly hopeful!

Thank You Jesus that I get to come to You and Your Word and find such hope! “We do not look at the things that can be seen. We look at the things that cannot be seen” (18a). This is again where I choose to hope. I get to believe Your promises or not. This morning I choose You and the hope You have to offer each and every one of us.

“The things that can be seen will come to an end. But the things that cannot be seen will last forever” (18b). Reading The Life Recovery Bible commentary attached to these verses speak even more loudly to me. “When we entrust our life to God, two opposite and somewhat confusing processes are simultaneously at work. On the one hand, physical deterioration and eventual death are inevitable, as are the distressing trails that accompany them.” At least I know I’m just following along with Your plan here, yes?

“On the other hand, the glorious inner growth is preparing us day-by-day for the overwhelming glory and blessing we will experience in the presence of God throughout eternity.” This thought takes me immediately over to Hebrews 11:1, “What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.” This is me Dearest Lord Jesus. I am willing to hope. Asking You to help me have the faith in You that provides the courage to keep hoping.

Finishing the 4:16-18 commentary I started, “We may have to wait a while for God’s eternal blessings. But if we trust God to help us in this life of decay and death, we can be sure of His blessings in the future.” This is my request blessed Lord God. Provide for me this kind of trust that enables me to hope!

As You told Paul each of the three times he begged You to make him well again (2Corinthians 12:8) “No. But I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people” (v.9a) I ask You to continue Your work in me that I may one day be “glad to boast about how weak I am” (9b) while being “glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities” (9c).

I choose right now to hope that one day I will truly come to believe as Paul did that “when I am weak, then I am strong – the less I have, the more I depend on Him” (10b).

The commentary here tells us, “Paul made an honest assessment of his life, recognizing both his strengths and weaknesses. Then he accepted and received the powerful help that God offers to all who look to Him.” Accepted and received, I like the sound of that!

“Paul is a good model for us to follow. As we make an honest assessment of our life and learn to depend upon God’s infinite resources, we will make significant progress in our recovery.”

What an incredibly hopeful way to being a new year. Thank You Jesus for Your generous gift of hope! I love You. I thank You. And I hope in You. Amen.

(763 words ~ 9:32 a.m.)