Verse:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
Thought:
"My Peace I leave to you. "Yes, those were the words.
“I” did not hear them, yet to words were meant for my ears too. By faith, I hang on to those
very words. It is hope. As my house shook and as I wondered what was happening, my thoughts
were directed to hope. As we turned on the TV and found the Columbia to be missing, my thoughts
we directed to hope. Then, as the news reports came in, again and again, I found myself
wondering “where is the hope”. The loss of The 7 Astronauts, forced me to ask where is the hope.
This loss has struck me and taken me, psychologically, back to 9-11. Hope, where is it in the
midst of loss. How could we find hope when we see that which is before us, and the hope I
hang onto fell from the sky.
Hear the Good News, hope is real and it is bigger than you and I, it is Jesus Christ. So often
our hope, at least mine, radiates to an immediate hope of and for well-being. A hope that is about
me. It is rather "Micro" in nature. The hope that is before, the hope of Jesus Christ is somewhat
different in that it is "Macro". Hope in Jesus Christ leads us to live a live that is faithful, and
that any and all trials and tribulations that come our way will, in fact, share the Gospel to more
and more people. As we come to understand our hope, we understand it is something we all need, and
our cries to God for hope will be answered. Then, as we experience the blessing of hope, we are to
share that hope with others. The Paraplegic, the Hemorrhaging woman, the leper and the sick whom
Jesus healed shared the message of Jesus' ministry. Even Paul's blessing, in his affliction on the
Road to Damascus is known as his conversion, not his illness. The loss of seven has touched the
world. This loss directs us to search for hope. The loss of The One touched you and it touched
me. By sharing in this, we scream, Lord, Bless Me . . . that I might be a blessing.
Prayer:
Gracious Father, my heart cries out in pain and in fear, yet you comfort me. I search for hope, but fail to search for the hope you have given to me. Please help me to recognize the hope and blessing laid before me. You have blessed me throughout my life, allow me to be a blessing for others. Thank You for all You have done and all You will continue to do, for I ask this through Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.