I have been up since 4 am thinking about all I need to get done today. My daughter-in-law will be here in just a couple of hours and I'm excited to spend time with her. I realized something as I woke up and saw a message from a man that my mother mentored, time is precious. You see, he reached out to me in April and I just saw the message this week. I had the horrid task of telling him of my numerous losses including my precious mom. He wrote back, "I've just stopped crying." It brought back floods of memories and made me relive the moment I walked in the bedroom to see her lifeless body on the floor. My few words to him brought floods of memories of her loving my boys, baking bread and singing to the birds. It reminded me of her great painting talent and how she took in strangers but mostly, it reminded me that when you love a person, they never forget.
So as I reflect on the numerous people my mom touched in her life, I think about how many people Jesus has touched, without even being here. He can't hug us or wipe away our tears. He can't make us laugh at ourselves when we do stupid things. He can't give us sound advice when we hurt someone, even if we didn't mean it. And yet, for thousands of years, He has quietly spoken to hearts and said, "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden." He stated from the beginning that He was our shepherd pointing us to His father. And with His huge sacrifice, we have been touched in a way that no human could touch us. He has guided millions to the cross, with forgiveness, hope and a future. He has watched us as we have climbed mountains, fallen into valleys and drown in the sea. He has been there in our darkest moments, encouraging us to just look up and when He molds us, He restores us more beautiful than before. He is one of a kind and with His life and death came hope. Maybe not the way man thinks but nevertheless, He is hope.
Many of us succumb to addiction, low self-esteem, greed, power, hatred, and a gang buster of other things without once looking up. We have to look up. All of our hope is stored in that one action. When things are wrong, not fair, or just darn depressing, we have to look up and remember what Christ did for us. That's what I did as the raw emotion came from my heart into my head as I wrote this morning how my mom died. I didn't crumble, I looked up! He is my hope and He was her hope and He is the only hope we have in this evil world. He holds the nations in His hands, He calms the storms, He provides and He loves. He, not humans. We think we do but really there's just not a lot of goodness without Him. You might disagree with me but I know for a fact that our hearts are fickle and one day we might choose to do the wrong thing and who convicts us? Jesus does, making us the humans we are.
I love Jesus Christ and He holds all my esteem. I'm in awe of the things He has done in my life and believe me they were not without growth pains. I'm glad that I can rest in Him and watch as He fixes the messes I get myself into. I'm blessed because through all my loss I have gained insight into a good God. And I know that although I screw things up sometimes, He has a plan for my life and I'm His. Hope is not just a word, its a truth. Jesus brought hope and that hope has spread for centuries. Religion can not hold you but God can. People can not make you better but God can. I realize every year how powerful the message of hope is. Without hope, I just might have drowned. Think about this, to commit suicide you have to have absolutely no hope, none. That's the failure of the world but hope is the blessing that Christ freely gives. Hope in the darkness. So if you're on a path that darkness is closing in, open your eyes, spread out your hands and ask the Savior of the World to penetrate your heart. He will and then once He has, step forward in forgiveness, hope and love. He is our portion, given freely. We don't deserve it but it's ours. Isn't that amazing?
My sisters we must unite and spread the word of hope. We have sisters all over the world that need to hear that from us. We need to be the choir on earth sending prayers to our father for those that feel no hope. We are a chorus, mighty, strong and full of hope. Why? Because we chose a mighty Father that provides hope when there's none left in the world. Do not be afraid to pray for these women. Do not be afraid to serve Him with your whole heart. Do not be discouraged, look up and see what others are blinded to, Jesus is waiting for you!
I just got chills writing that. My prayer is that my sisters, those that know Christ and those that don't will hear the call of the One True God. May our prayers be heard as we sing of the awesome hope we have in Christ. Be well my sisters and let the love of Christ envelope you.
Pray this and know He is God.
John 17:25-26New International Version (NIV)
25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you[a] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
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