January 2007
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12 It is good, really good that God doesn’t always give us the things we hope for. Wehave all longed and hoped for things that would be beneficial, inspirational, self-serving, injurious to self or others (Job 6) or just good old fashioned revenge (Romans 12:19). These are the things that I praise Him for not giving me. But there are the hopes and longings of our heart of hearts, those things we must continue to hope for, not giving up our confidence in Him (Hebrews 10:35-36). Renewed hunger for God’s word (Psalm 119:48, 88, 119, 167), living loving lives (John 14:15, 15:10, I John 2:3), our relationships healed, rest when we are weary and the like. If we fail to trust God to be committed to taking care of our every need, then we have lost all hope. There is no heart need that cannot be fulfilled by the loving God we serve. I am coming to grips with this trust are