Hope

I have been feeling introspective lately, and having said that, I apologize if my blogs have been dull for you. I won't know, nor will I be offended, if you choose to move on down the road. (I sometimes think, that the lack of comments to any particular blog indicate no readers, or a lack of interest, but now I know that many are reading it; most are not brave enough to "show themselves" here. )

I have been thinking a lot about what is going on in my life and heart recently, and I share it simply because it is therapeutic for me to get it out and in written word. Take it or leave it!

1 Peter 3:15
".....but in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..."

I read this verse on Monday, and have been "chewing" on it all week. I stand amazed, yet humbled at the way God uses His word to speak about something that I am currently dealing with, or am getting ready to go through!

I came across the story this week of a boy that I knew from my early teen years. He was a great guy...kind, friendly, talented...
I had not heard anything about him for years, but in reading his story, found out that in his early adult years, he became confused and disillusioned about God, church.....and basically gave up!
He is now dying from an incurable disease, and is searching for hope!

As I sat and read his story, I wept! I tried for three hours to gain my composure, and couldn't! I wept for the pain he endured and is now suffering. I wept for the choices he made. I wept for the way so-called "Christian" people acted towards him, and how those who were supposed to show him Jesus ended up hurting him.
In his story, he is quick to admit that he messed up, and made many poor choices.

But I wept, because he represents so many hurting people. I wept with the realization that each day, I pass them in my car, or stand behind them in line at Wal-mart, or sit beside them at church on Sunday....they are all around me.

But I also wept, knowing that I have a hope to offer them! This hope was given to me the moment that I accepted Jesus into my heart. He gave me this hope, and I am ashamed to admit that I have not been very quick to offer it to others.

What has been going on in my heart lately, is that I am becoming very aware...my eyes are opening wide to the lost around me...the ones who are "in the shadow of our steeples". I know that there are people all over the world that need this hope, but I am finding my eyes opening to the ones that have been raised in church, or are currently in church, but sitting there as lost as if they had never heard a word about Christ!

I won't say, that I didn't see them before, but not this way! I am seeing them in a different light...and realizing that I have a hope that lies in me, that I have to share with them! We live in a world with billions of people who have absolutely no hope...at all!

Jesus, please help me to show lost people the hope that I have in you! Teach me to love them like you!