I hope I’ll always be a learner.
Last time I talked about a lesson re-learned from COLORADO MOUNTAIN TOUR 2021. Paraphrasing a pastor friend: You learn a lot about how a person feels about serving and sacrificing by asking them to serve and sacrifice.
Jesus is pretty clear…my profound words don’t mean much to Him.
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Another lesson re-learned during this tour: I realized Jesus doesn’t seem to “answer” my prayers in the conventional manner. Other folks describe receiving the things they prayed for. Immediate gratification.
For me, it usually doesn’t work that way. I don’t seem to be able to get Him to follow my plan, which is probably a good thing.
His response to me is often a look back. It’s like He says, “Look at how we traveled together at a time you didn’t see it.”
So when I say, “I need this, please do this right now,” I don’t get much of a response. But if I listen, if I’m patient, I get this nudge that reassures me, reminds me He’s always been there, always kept His promises.
Sometimes I perceive an event I’d completely missed (more about that later), and I add it to the list. And if you’re wondering what difference it makes…
HOPE is a confident expectation based on faith that Jesus keeps His promises.
So these reminders are reassurance that my HOPE is based on a solid foundation. And when everything else seems to be falling apart…
HOPE changes what’s possible.