April 21, 2003
Hope
"Hope ... means ... a continual looking forward to the eternal world.... It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.... It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth 'thrown in': aim at earth and you will get neither." --C. S. Lewis
We had some encouraging news this week...
Daniel's grandfather is breathing on his own now, and his organs are functioning again. He's not out of the woods yet, but it's more than anybody hoped for last week. He has a long road ahead of him in rehabilitation, but he's tough. Thanks to all of you who have kept him in your prayers -- they are appreciated, and they do work.
I've struggled with faith and prayer a lot in my past. It's hard to want something so bad, and to be told no, you can't have it. So I sulk, or rebel, or just howl at the moon till I'm exhausted. And sometimes in that stillness, after all the emotion is drained from me, I can hear my answer.
It's so easy to substitute "Thy will" with "my will," but that's generally the source of the frustration within me -- putting myself in front of God. I've been blessed with some very good teachers in my life. Without them, I'd have my attention focused squarely on this rock instead of things eternal. Whether it was with a gentle word written, or a 2X4 smacked between my ears; the instruction has been priceless. I look forward to that glorious reunion with those who have loved me enough to guide me through this obstacle course in life. That gives me comfort, and gives me hope.
