Today calls us out even further into the waters of believing. It goes beyond an attitude of hope to a Joyful Hope. One that is so sure that God is with us that we anticipate with excitement how He is going to show up. I want to be very real and transparent beloved I am walking this road with you! I do not have a road map showing me all the high places to step so as not to slip off into fear or despair ever! Rather, I have and am walking this difficult but glorious path with you!
When my dear husband was fighting brain cancer this past year, I envisioned all kinds of glorious ways the Lord could show Himself faithful. I knew that He was Almighty God and had the power! I knew that my husband was His faithful servant and loved His God with his heart , mind, soul and spirit. I hoped beyond hope, as best I could, envisioning Him overcoming this assault.
Even typing this I am reliving the way he sat in His chair every day, Bible in lap,worship music flowing and hands raised. I remember no matter how weak he would drag himself up at 4:30 in the afternoon to walk the steep hill behind our house. Doing his part , he thought, to keep his body strong and healthy. No matter, that he would stumble and fall on the rocks, he must keep trying. As He continued to decline in body and mind my heart wrestled with the Lord. Why, Lord? What does HOPE look like in this Jesus? I need you Jesus. I need you!
He met me there! He calmed my heart, caught my tears and showed me that my HOPE had to be beyond even getting what I was requesting. My Hope had to be in Him. My good Father, Alan’s good Father, my children’s good Father. My Hope had to be such that even in the darkness there is Hope. Because of Jesus, even in the grave there is HOPE! And there is dear ones. This does not mean that we don’t experience grief or sadness but rather that we have Jesus with us in it. I don’t have to grieve as the world does,because my sweet Alan just happened to cross the finish line first. I can rejoice! I can rejoice because His faith has been made sight! I can rejoice through the tears because of HOPE!
I know the things we are longing to have Hope for, may be different my friends but please don’t let fear, despair or a dark situation keep you from experiencing the joyful hope that Christ died for you to have. May I pray for you today? Send me an email at ideasbytaraelizabeth@gmail.com it would be my honor.
Beautifully written Tara. Thank you for sharing your joyful HOPE IN HIM in the midst of such painful heartache. Precious pictures of Alan!