Hopeless?

     A while ago I had sent my resume off to a church that Sara and I both thought would be perfect.  The church is about 20 minutes from Sara's parents and 50 minutes from mine, so not too far from family.  The area is familiar as Sara grew up in that area.  We have had interactions with this church before and knew that theologically we are on the same page.  Sara is related to a good portion of the members of the church.  The position was not quite the one I desired, but all of my experience at camp would have made me perfect for the role.  We even know the pastor of the church; he and I attended the same seminary just at different times.  I am telling you this seemed like the perfect fit for us.  So we were so enthusiastic as I sent in my application.  I think I even said something to the effect of "If I can't get this position, I won't get any."  

     About a week after we sent my info, I received a letter from the church.  I was so excited, the wait was going to finally be over, God was sending me in and I was ready.  As I read the letter my head fell.   I even think tears came to my eyes.  It was one of the nicest rejection letters I ever received.  The church had already filled the position before my resume had gotten to them.  When I concluded reading the letter I slumped down, threw my head back, and said to myself I had no more hope.  

     I do not know how much time had past, as I sat there feeling so hopeless, I asked God "what do I do now?"  In my prayer God reminded me that I was not hopeless.  I had forgotten for a minute, my hope is not serving God at a church, don't get me wrong, this a noble thing to do and I desire very much to find a church to serve at.  My hope however was not that, my hope is Jesus Christ.  Paul writes in his letter to Timothy "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our savior, and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope." 

     How often do we as believers forget what our true hope is.  We get caught up so often in the little things, that we forget our hope is in the Lord.  Our hope is the Lord.  If we have forgotten what our hope is, how do we ever intend to always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks us for a reason of the hope that is in us?  Truth is we can't give an answer for the reason if we don't remember what that hope is in the first place.

     When I accepted Christ as my savior and Lord, He became my hope.  Ever since I realized that I was a sinner, and needed the sacrifice that Jesus offered of Himself upon the cross, and that no other sacrifice could save me from my sins, I have been learning to trust Him for everything.  He has promised to meet all my needs. With His own life He has paid the down payment on those promises, and with His resurrection I know that He can and will fulfill those promises.  Through it all He has become not only the one I have placed my hopes in but also He has become the very thing I hope for.  I may desire a church to serve Him at right now, but ultimately I only wish to stand in His presence, and know Him. 

     It was a valuable lesson for me to realize that I was loosing focus.  When I realized how silly I was, I smiled.  God is my hope, and He will never leave me or forsake me.  I can never loose my hope, for God is eternal.  So I have to ask, what are you hoping in?

Waiting

     Sometimes the hardest thing to do in life, is nothing.  Think about it how often do you find yourself content doing nothing.  We always see more work that needs to be done.  We can always do this or that better.  How often are you content just waiting for things?  We generally look for something to do to fill the time.  Nothing just isn't what we do.

     For me doing nothing but waiting is quite painful.  Growing up this was my father's greatest form of discipline.  Whenever I did something wrong my father would send me to my room to sit there, do nothing, and think about whatever it was I did  wrong.  I would have done any strenuous physical labor rather than do nothing.  I much preferred the spankings my mother gave me to doing nothing, waiting, and thinking about my situation.  Nothing just is.

     So what happens when God asks us to stop everything and do nothing and just wait?  This concept goes beyond the idea of the Sabbath where we are asked to do no work, because then we are asked to rest.  Rest and relaxation is something we can do.  I am talking about when God asks you to just wait and watch until He is ready for you?  I think all too often when we are asked to do nothing and wait, we find things on our own to do.  I find that in these moments of waiting faith is put to the test much more than when we are given a task to do.  When we have something to do we are almost forced to look to God for help, but in waiting that pressure is not there.  

      Being asked to do nothing but wait can be a form of punishment like it was in my household, but sometimes we are asked to do so for other reasons.  He told the disciples to wait until they received power on High before they were to go out.  He told the people of Israel to wait and watch for His coming.  In Gethsemane Jesus asked the disciples to wait and pray with Him.  Sometimes the Spirit just has us waiting.  We don't always know why He asks us to wait.  The question is what do you do until He has something else for you to do?

     When we look in the scriptures at those who waited for the Lord, they talk of learning, and praying, and being strengthened by the Lord.  Often we find it difficult not to act,  we want to take what we have and go go go.  Yet if we wait upon the Lord, wait until He tells us to go, we will go with so much more than should we do so on our own.  

     I know this blog only scratches the surface, but I want us all to think about what the Lord is asking us to do.  If we will listen the Spirit will tell us when we are to act, and when we are to wait.  What is He having you do?