Rejoicing in Hope

As we sat eating lunch my sister told me about giving her testimony the day before. The theme of her story was one of hope of joy and of worship. As she spoke my mind went back to the day her husband died.

Two weeks before my sister turned thirty her husband died leaving her a widow with three little boys four and under. That day the colors of the world blurred and the earth tilted throwing everything off its base. Coming home from the hospital I watched as she picked up a card that someone had sent her. On it were printed the words of Jeremiah 29:11 "I know the plans I have for you,declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." I held my breath wondering how she would respond.

In a whisper, her words choked with tears, she said, "The good plan God had for Steve was Heaven". Her response was one of faith and worship. Hope that is seen is not hope. During her time of intense grief my sister often repeated the verse,  "I would have despaired if I had not believed that I would see the goodness of God in the land of the living." Psalm 27:13 "We hope for what we do not see,we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness." Romans 8:24 I watched as my sister grieved deeply but not without hope upheld in her weakness by the Spirit of God.

The verse my sister used in her testimony was 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit." This is the essence of worship. To submit your life in hope to the love of God. To trust that if He chooses to crush the grape it is to produce the wine of joy. To believe that His plans are good and not evil even when worship involves a broken heart. This is true worship this is pure joy.

Lord Jesus, I know that through you I obtain by faith grace to stand in all situations. Because of your grace I am able, like my sister, to rejoice in hope. I believe that our suffering produces endurance. I have watched as this endurance produced character in my sister's life. Thank you Lord that the hope my sister had in You did not put her to shame. You have been faithful to shed your love abroad in her heart and mine  through the power of your Holy Spirit.