Wait Patiently

Hope is rather a strange word. It's like a double-edged sword in a sense. Because whilst hope is undoubtedly a good thing, the very fact that you may need it, implies that there's some 'thing', some adversity, some suffering perhaps … against which you're hoping for a good outcome. Yep, hope is a strange word indeed. John Woolman was an 18th-century American Quaker. For over thirty years, he travelled extensively, speaking against slavery and urging others to see the inherent equality of all people. Despite the slow progress, he remained patient, faithful and hopeful, believing that his efforts would eventually lead to a societal change. Woolman didn't live to see the fruits of his labour, but his quiet, consistent advocacy helped lay the foundation for the abolitionist movement in America. Hope. Yes, the world is still in a mess. Yes, it seems to be groaning under the weight of the conflict, the strife, the division, the oppression that rages still today. But as we observed yesterday … it will all come to an end one day. And those who've put their faith in Jesus  have a certain hope of the glory that awaits them. Romans 8:24-25 We were saved to have this hope. If we can see what we are waiting for, that is not really hope. People don't hope for something they already have. But we are hoping for something we don't have yet, and we are waiting for it patiently. Like Woolman, we can't see how it will come or when it will come. But as the Apostle Paul points out in those few verses, that's the very nature of hope. Whatever you're going through, whatever struggles, whatever adversity … be patient, wait for it. Hope for it. He is coming. Jesus. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.