Premature spring after a winter “that never was”…
Overeager blossoms… Early leaves… Summer pushing at the starting gate for early take-off, too…
Then came Winter, late to the party, sweeping in with a vengeance.
Same setting, not many days later:
As snow in summer… so honor is not fitting for a fool (Pro 26:1)
A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty, but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both (Prov 27:3, ESV).
We played the fool. Eve, then Adam, then all the rest of us…
And the weight of our foolishness does much damage:
But there is always hope. He spoke of it from the pulpit today:
A good hope, not a false one, but absolute (2 Th 2:16)
A sure hope, anchor for the soul, even when all else goes wrong (Heb 6:18-19)
A living hope — because a living Savior is our hope (1 Pt 1:3)
A purifying hope (1 Jn 3:3)
A comforting hope (1 Th 4:13, 18)
And a saving hope, that will deliver it all from the burdens of the curse — not only us, but all this bent and broken creation (Rom 8:21).
Yes,
The whole creation groans with birth pangs until now… (Rom 8:22)
(but…)
…the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For… the creation eagerly awaits for the revealing of the sons of God (Rom 8:18-19).
Therefore comfort one another with these words (1 Th 4:18).
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Hope: good, sure, living, purifying, comforting, saving. Wow. I love this list! Thanks for sharing these beautiful scriptures about our beautiful Hope. You have comforted me with these words.
I could not find a word for this post. It is the best of all your talents rolled into one. Your ability to interpret the times and lay the interpretation out for others in both in word and picture is supreme. AND THEN you weave it all together with Scripture. It’s like a fine sculpture of images. God does truly bless me through you, Sylvia.
Thanks for the time you spent laying this out,
Dawn
PS I may take the Scriptures with me to First Place 4 Health tomorrow. Our study is on Hope.
Hi Lisa,
That list, which formed the skeleton for the sermon I heard yesterday, comforted me, too — so much. It made me “homesick,” yet felt like soothing oil to my soul. So glad I could pass the comfort along. God bless!
Wow, Dawn, I am so glad this blessed you as much as it did. The hope list isn’t mine. It’s sermon notes I took. So credit for that goes to Pastor James Truax, who was preaching in a rural church we visited yesterday for the first time, and I believe was the one who pulled those scriptures all together.
I think your First Place 4 Health meetings sound wonderful. Wish I were there. I may email you about trying to take part vicariously… 😉 May God prosper it!
Wow. What wonderful lessons God speaks through creation!
Such a beautiful way to illustrate the lesson of how our foolishness can wreak havoc.
But thank you for the Scriptures on Hope. I am going to copy them down and memorize them. I need that Hope now!
Blessings,
Janis
I love how your window panes make a cross in that last image. Powerful.
Hi Tereasa,
Yes, He does teach so much through His creation. This weighty wacky snowstorm brought Proverbs 26:1 to life for me! I might add, it’s wonderful to behold some of the bent-to-the-ground trees straightening up, stronger and stronger, since then, too — another picture of hope!
What a good idea, Janis! I’ve decided to do the same thing. Great verses to have in our hearts!
Hi Courtney,
I seem to be seeing crosses all around me lately! That’s our hope in a nutshell, isn’t it? Yes, I like to look at that picture and think about what it says, too.
These passages are some of my favorites. It’s all hope. Hope that one day all are messes will be finally cleaned up. Wonderful post!
Our hope is so many things. And, without hope, we have nothing because it is also our hope in Him that saves us and keeps us believing there will be more. Beautiful post.
Thank you for sharing the HOPE we have in Him! Seems like so many seem to have lost it a bit these days, but no matter what we go through, there is always just that, HOPE! The scriptures reveal that very promise to us! Loved all of your photos, scriptures and devotions, Sylvia! Also, I really missed the winter this year … and, of course, it has to be my favorite season. I think we got maybe 8 inches total that came in an inch here, and an inch there … not enough to make a snowman at any one time … well, there’s always hope for more next year, right! 🙂 This is my first time here from Katie’s site, and I’m encouraged by being here! Looking forward to browsing around here and reading more … I’ll be subscribing and following, as well! You have a blessed week!
Beautiful words, and pictures.
This was just so beautiful today with the pictures and your sermon notes. I’m an avid note taker in church because I can’t remember things like I used to. It was just recently that my pastor went through these verses, explaining our hope being sure and steadfast, knowing that what is promised is as good as done. Isn’t it wonderful that we don’t have to wonder if it will come to pass, IT WILL! I loved seeing your snow, in spite of its damage. I miss it here in Florida!