HOPE
Ephesians 1:12, "...we, who...hope in Christ."
Definition: n. a desire combined with expectation.
v. to desire, with belief of obtaining.
Hey Friends! For the past 7 weeks we have gained understanding of two wonderful blessings that we can claim for ourselves: grace and forgiveness. In doing so, we know the basis of our salvation in Jesus Christ.
Have you claimed this?
I pray that you have, because the weeks ahead will be those blessings that we obtain when we grab hold of this sure and solid foundation in Jesus. He is the means to living in eternity with God.
He is our Hope.
Eternity in Heaven is what we can look forward to, this is where our Hope resides; where He will wipe all our tears away for good and there will be no more pain or sorrow to deny within us (Revelation 21:4). It is this that gives us motivation to believe, to have faith and trust in God (Colossians 1:5), and let Him be our Lord, our Leader, our King in all of our life; in everything that we do or say (Colossians 1:18, 3:17).
Have you ever read a story with full expectation of a good ending, and when you race through the content of it and at last read the very end of the story you say, "Is this it? Is this all there is?" Were you expecting so much more? I have and if it was a really good book with a really good plot I really wanted to keep reading page after page of more of the colorful story.
But, oh my friends, what a joy it is for me to say that the ending of our story will be one totally unimaginable...well I suppose you might try and imagine it...if we are in Christ. One of the great mysteries of God is that the story of our eternal lives will never end. Oh sure, our earthly bodies will pass away and return to dust in which we came, but our souls will go on into eternity with Jesus (Colossains 3:4).
Who's up for a new bod? Yeah me too! We're getting one...so can't wait for that.
We all love fairy tales...yes, you too guys ;o) You dream to be the Prince, or the King, that sweeps us Queens and Princesses off our sweet-smelling, newly pedicured feet...(I can dream)...right? But why do we love them?
Have you ever once thought that the life of a fairytale prince or princess is what real life is supposed to be like? Fairy tales are what dreams are made up of, aren't they?
Look at Adam and Eve before their "bad choice". They lived in "fairytale" land (or paradise) only they did not know of evil...yet. Their life was a dream, our dream, but to them a reality. It was intended to be reality to us as well.
I believe God is preparing heaven for us in this way only so much more...without the villian; for fairy tales are written by man with a truly limited mind and imagination. Yes, Heaven can be to us unimaginable, unbelievable, and unreality, but the mystery and sweetness to that is it.is.real., it is believable by faith, and it is still beyond our imagination. God allows us to see parts of Heaven through His word, and the beauty of His creation. Pay special attention to a flower this week. Notice God's perfection and detail. Pretty cool, huh? It is through God's creation that He reveals a part of His character (Psalm 24).
In John 14:1-4, Jesus is comforting His disciples before His death in saying this, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Jesus is preparing a place for us, friends!
Let's contemplate on this for the week and dream up what we would like life to be for us...with Jesus! What would your surroundings be? What are you doing? Where are you that you can just say, "Now this is what life is all about; right here, right now." If time could only stand still for just a few moments, days, years, well a lifetime...eternity!
For example: I had always dreamed of living in a log cabin overlooking a beautiful mountainous lake with the smell of pine trees and the sound of birds chirping their "hallelujahs" to their Maker. I had dreampt of enjoying the beauty and sharing it with wildlife, like deer. To top it all off, I had dreampt of having a horse to ride through the forest of the mountain (my back yard) and ride to where very few could get to. Beautiful waterfalls always enhance the view...but you get the idea.
However...
Since the initial writing of these words (10 years ago) I have lived a bit of this dream, and to tell ya the truth...it was a thrill and I loved it y'all, being up in the mountains with all of it...but I would trade it entirely for simply being in the presence of God ... period! I suppose it took me living in the physical dream of mine to experience and realize the reality of His magnificant glory! And sometimes that is His point.
But why did I dream all those things before? What about it was so appealing to me? (Ask yourself these questions as well) I believe the reason that I dreampt what I dreampt because I desired peacefulness (the sense of sound), joy of beauty (the sense of sight), and the freedom to live life as it was meant to be (all the senses combined).
Here's what I know now: Jesus is my Peace (Ephesians 2:14), He is the Maker of beauty, and I can be free to see it all when I enter Heaven.
There is a need in all our dreams and Jesus is the Provider of those needs. Let's desire Jesus and our dreams will be fulfilled in far greater ways than our imagination can stretch. This is our hope!
Allow me to pray for you this week: Oh Jesus, You are our Provider, and may we be ever so mindful of the hope that we have in You. I pray that out of Your glorious riches You may strengthen these people with power through the Holy Spirit so that You may dwell in their hearts through faith. I pray that Your power would help them to grasp how wide and long and high and deep Your love is, Jesus, and to know this love surpasses knowledge; that they may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. May You, Jesus, get all the praise and glory and honor for what You have done, are doing, and will do! I pray this in Jesus Name, Amen! (Ephesians 3:16,19)
Go in peace, in joy, and in hope!!!
Reflect on Psalm 39:7
Enjoying My Kup...
Cindy
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