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To be honest, as I write this blog, I have been having a hard week. I won’t go into detail, but this week has been full of several very disappointing things for me. Maybe you feel that way too. It’s not surprising…it seems that each day one more thing changes or is taken away. The virus has most definitely created so many disappointing things. Many happy events have had to be cancelled…weddings, graduations, proms, birthdays, anniversaries. Right here at Peace we have had to postpone the confirmation celebration for 6 of our youth. Baptisms have been done separately and outside of the building. And of course, not being able to worship in the building has been very disappointing. I don’t know about you, but what I need is a ray of hope!

As I was doing my devotions this morning, I looked up the word disappoint in my Bible software. Guess what, even using all forms of the word, it’s only listed in the Bible 3 times! That little gem speaks volumes doesn’t it? Well, the only time it’s used in the New Testament is in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. Here’s what he wrote:

Romans 5:1-5  Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

So, Paul says we “boast in our sufferings.” Hmmm…can we name one of them as disappointment? So then, disappointment produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces, hope! And hope does not disappoint us. Because why? Because God’s love has been poured into our hearts! That is such wonderful news and I love the imagery. When I am disappointed, I do feel like my heart is empty. But here God literally fills it back up with God’s love! And even more good news is the supply doesn’t ever run out because the Holy Spirit is always with us. Wherever you are today, I pray you will witness God’s love filling your heart to overflowing.

“See” you Sunday!

Pastor Lu