Hope Unswervingly

 Read Romans 5:1-8 Virtually the entire Old Testament, from Genesis 3 to Matthew, is the story of God’s people waiting. Adam and Eve chose not to follow God’s command and sin came into God’s perfect creation. From that time, people were waiting for God’s Messiah to come and save them from their sins. God promised to bring salvation to all people, delivering them from under Satan’s dominion. They were not always conscious of the waiting, but it was always there. As the prophets began to speak about the promised Messiah, there was an anticipation of the event. However, that was not always enough to keep God’s people on track and living according to God’s plan. Why in the world did God not offer the sacrifice of the Messiah right away when it was first needed? Honestly, I do not know the answer to that, but it has to do with waiting. And God’s justice. And patience. And perfect timing.   And demonstrating the faithfulness of God. And it’s about providing hope for the future. ...

 Read Galatians 4:5-7 We sat on the steps leading to the beach at a pristine northern Minnesota Lake. We were surrounded by tall Norway pines which swayed and whispered in the wind high above us. The sun sparkled on the clear water. There was beauty all around, but my attention was mostly drawn to my 2 1/2 year old grandson, Matthew. Matthew had discovered a jumping spot - a place where railroad ties held back the sand and offered an 18" drop - perfect for a little boy to test his jumping skills. After taking his first tentative leap, Matthew decided this was a very fun game, and circled back to the steps beside us, approached the ledge, and jumped again. Over and over, he made the circle. However, he added one step as he repeated his leap. Each time he came to the ledge, he patted his daddy's head, sweetly asked, "How 'ya doin', Daddy?" and then jumped. Sometimes he landed on his feet, sometimes on his knees, and a few times, he almost face-planted in the sa...