There is always hope…..
I wrote this statement on my computer four days ago and just left it there. Four words that have given me peace in any and every circumstance. I thought about just writing these four words for you today, because there is not much more that needs to be added to such a beautiful statement. Why hope? Not for any other reason than the hope bringer Himself, Jesus. Instead of leaving it at that, here is a little story from a recent trip we took.
About a month ago, we went to a wedding in Los Angeles. Our naïve, Idahoan selves felt a bit out of place in the big city, but we were excited for a new adventure. With a few hours of opportunity, we decided to take an uber to the coast. The Santa Monica Pier was a sight to see. Palm trees, surfers, and lots and lots of people. We took our time walking to the end of the pier and back, stopping in the middle for some Bubba Gump Shrimp. As an avid people watcher, my senses were on high alert. It was hard for me to pay attention to anything else, but people. As we were making our way off the pier, a voice caught my attention. “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is Near!” As I looked to my right two strong men were walking down the pier, one on each side with an authority in their step. They walked quickly, declaring the God news of Jesus. My heart leapt with joy, and I said to my husband, “I want to join them!” He laughed and gave me a squeeze. We got in the uber and drove away.
After seeing some things that day that made my heart sad, we ended our journey with a message of hope. I know that street evangelists can sometimes be known for their discourteous or haughty tone, but some can speak truth in love and authority, and that’s what these men did that day. They brought a message of hope in an authority given by God. They came to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to a pier that needed hope.
Wherever we are, whatever we are doing and wherever we live, we have access to hope every second of every day. A hope that this earth is not our home, as we are just passing through to our eternal home in Heaven. A hope that Jesus took on the sins of the world and offers salvation to ALL who believe. A hope that no matter what we are going through, we have His Holy Spirit with us always, and a hope that God is for us and NEVER against us.
If you need a little hope today in whatever you are going through, maybe write these 4 little words down somewhere you see often, and I pray they bring you peace as they have for me this week.
Matthew 3:1-6
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness,‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Emily Rodewald 