This is Aime, the little boy with Burkitt's Lymphoma who we lost a little while ago.When one of the ward nurses, Hannah, started talking about hope in devotions today, all I could think of were his little round cheeks, his swollen belly and his sad-faced mama. How on earth are we supposed to hope when we see pain and despair like that over and over and over?
And of course, just like always, I'm stopped short by His words.
May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
And suddenly it doesn't seem so crazy after all, hope in the face of all this darkness. It feels like I'm learning this for the first time, but I've finally realized that it's not up to me. I'm not the one trying to grow hope in a broken heart; it's Him.
My heart is held in the hands that threw stars across the night sky. My heart is hidden beneath the shadow of wings that reach from eternity to eternity. My heart is mended by the Carpenter, pieced back together with the same nails that pinned Him between heaven and earth.
I've got to believe that He's not going to let me be emptied.
Romans 5: 2b-5 And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Karen (from Messiah)
My heart is held in the hands that threw stars across the night sky. My heart is hidden beneath the shadow of wings that reach from eternity to eternity. My heart is mended by the Carpenter, pieced back together with the same nails that pinned Him between heaven and earth.
Beautiful.