A HARVEST OF HOPE

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  (Romans 15:13)

Today, we may gather a harvest of hope—and a bumper crop at that!  This hope is rooted in “the God of hope.”  He offers the certitude of His promise because of the character of His person.  Only God can bring such unfailing assurance because He has unlimited abundance—having both the means in His infinite might and the motive in His immeasurable love to bring to pass this hope.  Accompanying that hope is “all joy and peace,” which are also given in abundance.  This joy and peace are cultivated “in believing.”  This is how we, as God’s children, should all live at all times.  So, why don’t we?  Why does my life seem more like a crop failure when it comes to having hope, when it ought to be a rich harvest?  The soil of my soul, in its natural state, is under the curse of sin.  It grows weeds easily—complaining instead of joy, anxiety rather than peace, doubt where there should be faith, and despair in the place of hope.  All those weeds may be uprooted and my soul made fertile to receive the seed of God’s promises, however, because there is a new normal I can now know: “that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  He will generate this bumper crop of hope in my heart by giving me a new perspective and power to see and seize hope where the natural man does not!  Reach out now, and lay hold of the hope God has for you!