|
Devotion for Tuesday, May 12
HOPE
"I pray that God, the source of hope,
will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him.
Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."
Romans 15:13
The definition of the word hope, according to several dictionaries, is a desire for a particular outcome in the future. The Random House College dictionary defines hope this way; "the feeling that what is desired is also possible, or that events may turn out for the best." Both definitions are good. However, the definition that Paul gives us, in God, is much better!
The definition of hope that we usually use, as found in dictionaries, is good in applications like; I hope my team wins, I hope I pass the test, I hope my spouse remembers my birthday and so on. But the hope that God has to offer us is much greater than anything in this world can offer. God gives us the kind of hope we need when we pray for loved ones who are dear to us.
There is a reason why Paul wrote, "God, the source of hope." It is because God is the ultimate and powerful hope that far exceeds anything in this world. Paul continues with, when we trust in God, He "will fill you completely with joy and peace." When was the last time you trusted God so much that it filled you with joy and peace? A good way to describe what that is like would be to compare it to being in the eye of a hurricane. All around you there is the storm; the winds, the rains, the upheaval and yet, in the middle of it all, there is perfect calm. Only God's joy and peace surpasses that!
But there is even more. Paul continues, "you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." Not only is "God, the source of hope," but you will have hope, too. And, not just any low-level sort of hope. Oh no! It will be "through the power of the Holy Spirit"; which is a truly powerful hope.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the gift of Your hope which surpasses any earthly hope. May it give us joy and peace. Amen.
Denise Clark, CSM
|
