HOPE

“May God, the Source of Hope,

fill you with joy and peace through your faith in Him.

Then you will overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13

My world has changed.  Our world has changed.  Seemingly out of nowhere a dangerous virus is spreading.  At first it seemed a far distant danger.  Now it is at our door.  Every door.  Everywhere on this globe.  Nations, cities, and homes throughout the earth are being affected.

We have been taken by surprise.   We cannot fix this.   We must step into the Unknown, and walk a path we have not walked before.

There was a man named Paul, long, long ago who wrote of watching his world turn upside-down.  He was successful, brilliant, respected, and very powerful.  But in one blinding moment, his entire world changed forever.  All of his political power, affluence  and success came crashing down.

He had nowhere to look but Up.   Then,  a life-shattering encounter with God….and he would never be the same.

Paul went on to become a key writer for the Bible’s New Testament.   His prayer (above) has passed through the ages, and is as appropriate for us as it was for those to whom he had written  2000 years ago.  He knew very personally what it was to suffer physically, emotionally and mentally. . . directly because of his faith and faithfulness in following Jesus.

Yet, his new reality  became one of joy….peace….hope.   Only the Spirit of God can do that in a person.   Paul had experienced  The Source of Hope in the midst of becoming hopeless…completely “undone.”   All of his affluence and power faded.  But out of that single encounter with Jesus, Paul experienced HOPE from its very Source…God.

 May we, in our present Moment, blinded and on the ground, LOOK UP.