To Be...Hopeful

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Ha, Im hopeful our daughter-in-law doesn't fall on these adventures she takes!

 March 23
She's back!  The white bird flew into the cove last Friday morning! While she is a symbol of the Holy Spirit for me, she also signals the hope of spring!

 Hope "a feeling of expectation and desire for something to happen. (Apple dictionary.)

 In a sermon on 1 Peter 1-13, John Piper said this about hope.
"Hope is not an action of the body. It is an experience of the soul. Peter is commanding us to experience hope…Finally, Peter tells us what the object of the hope is—what we are hoping in, namely, the grace of God. 'Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.' When Jesus comes back, he is bringing grace to the people of God. Grace is on the way. Hope in it. Hope in it fully! Hope fully in God's grace. Christianity is, first, God graciously, freely acting to save his people; and, second, man hoping fully in that grace. That's the essence of Christianity.

'Let's sum it up', says Piper:
  • verse 1: since God has chosen you,
  • verse 3: since God has caused you to be born again to a living hope,
  • verse 4: since God is keeping an inheritance for you imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
  • verse 5: since God is protecting you through faith so that you won't lose that inheritance,
  • verses 6–7: since God is refining your faith by fire so that it will receive praise and glory and honor,
  • verse 8: since you are swimming with the strokes of love and faith and joy in Christ,
  • verses 10–13: since prophets and angels are on tiptoe to see all that God's grace is going to do in your life,
therefore, hope fully in this grace... "Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Going a little bit further is one of my favorite passages we find hope.
 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus....Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, 24 

 Five people, whom I love deeply, have had discouraging health diagnosis's in the past two weeks.  Last night one friend texted from an airport for prayer, as she had been called home from her vacation to her father's bedside.  This morning the news of another friend's test results requiring a biopsy crossed my phone screen. I found myself crying out, "What's going on Father?"  In my head I heard the reply..."This may all be overwhelming for you, Boo, but remember who I am. The Great I AM. Fully capable of hearing all these prayers and capable of caring for My children. Your HOPE is in Me."

 I read back over the Piper points.  Each of these five people can claim those points!
May you experience HOPE today.




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