Hope

Waiting on God’s Weaving

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

Wait for the Lord: be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord.           Psalm 27:14 ESV

One of my least favorite plays (which I was compelled to watch because mom said so) was titled “Waiting for Gadot” It involved a couple of guys hanging around  waiting for a friend who guess what…never showed up! For an eight year old who far preferred Davy Crockett; Daniel Boone or Kidnapped; this was akin to Chinese water torture. Though I hated the play, it left an indelible impression on me about waiting. However when King David uses the word wait in this Psalm he isn’t at all suggesting the waiting for the train kind of waiting that we might associate with it.

Instead the Hebrew word for wait: quvah – comes from a root which implies two cords being woven together into a rope. Secondarily it includes something that my second language of Portuguese calls it; which is hope. In fact in Portuguese hoping and waiting are even the exact same word!

So what you might ask, “what good does that do for me?” That’s a great question and the answer is plenty! This kind of waiting isn’t just hanging out and hoping that God will show up. In fact God already has shown up in Bethlehem and His plan since that moment is that in our times of doubt and fear that our hearts will be steadily and slowly woven together with His. As the Apostle Paul states  in his letter to the Romans:

“And hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who is given to us. Romans 5:5 ESV

So whether our crisis is a sickness like the Corona virus which has brought our nation to a halt; a broken relationship or shattered dreams, God is right here – right now waiting for you and I. His heart is open and ready to receive us when we open our hearts to receive Him. As Jesus hung  in agony on the cross He gave His spirit into His Father’s hands. Our waiting on God means putting our hearts into His hands and then stepping back as the Holy Spirit weaves us together with Him in the love of Jesus Christ!

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Early One Morning

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. Matthew 28:1 KJV

The women came so early that the sun had not yet crested the horizon. They came not in eager anticipation of seeing Jesus but with sorrow prepared for a final good-bye. They little realized but what was far beyond anything they could have hoped for, had already accomplished. The tomb stood open and empty, because Jesus had already risen from the dead!

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The wonderful news for us is that in our own lives the resurrection of Jesus has also come with unexpected hope. Before even the first shaft of sunlight can chase away our shadows God wants us to discover that He has already done everything we need! All that remains for us to do is come. Come if you feel heavy with grief and confusion. If it everything that was precious feels like it has disappeared He calls you to the place where He once lay. There is a miracle to be found beyond anything you can imagine. There is a day about to dawn that will challenge your doubts and drive off every fear. There is something beyond all our hopes and infinitely higher than our dreams. Jesus Christ is alive. He rose from the grave and He is watching for us to walk up the pathway. He is waiting to meet us if we will just come early in the morning because a new day is just beginning to dawn!

 

 

Running to the Finish Line

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 KJV

As a long distance runner in high school, I learned early on that my toughest competition came from my own body and mind. At the starting gun my mind wanted to race ahead but our coach had taught us to start slowly. When I paced myself I discovered that later on in the race, I still had the strength to press on to the final lap. My recent retirement followed by our move to Florida brought on far more stress and anxiety than I had imagined.

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Suddenly I had no lunch to pack, no schedule to keep and no one coming by. It felt as if the road I had been traveling on for most of my life was a dead end. I found myself sleepless with anxiety and fear swirling around me. There I remembered that Jesus as He had hung alone on the cross, had cried out, “My God My God why have you forsaken me?” With no one who could understand and no deliverance at hand He endured it all for me. Humbled and grateful I remembered His example and loving sacrifice. In that dark hour long ago, another man on a cross next to Jesus cried out in pain and fear. Then Jesus, put aside His own suffering, forgave him and promised to personally welcome him to paradise that day.

Prayer: Father – Help me to remember that You endured the terrible cross for me. Remind me that I don’t need to be afraid because just You are the beginning of my faith You have also promised to help me run all the way to its finish line.