Difference between revisions of "Sermon for March 17th, 2013"
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==Psalm 126: Growing Hope== | ==Psalm 126: Growing Hope== | ||
| + | Everything I know about hope I learned from my three children. My oldest son, Grady, came home one day a few months ago and said, "Dad, I'm going to Washington DC!" | ||
| + | "Really? How's that going to happen?" | ||
| + | "Well, my class at school is having a spelling bee. If I win the spelling be in my class, I get to compete in the school spelling be, and if I win that, I get to compete in the El Paso spelling bee, then if I win that I get to compete in the Texas spelling bee, and if I win that, I get to go to Washington DC and compete in the national spelling bee. So I'm going to Washington DC!" | ||
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| + | My daughter Abby was at her grandparents' house a few weeks ago and decided to gather some sticks and grass together and make a birds' nest in their backyard...so yesterday when she saw her grandparents, she of course wanted to know if any birds had moved into it yet, and how they were getting along, if any improvements needed to be made, (I think she might also have been considering raising their rent...) | ||
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| + | And my youngest son Jonah is convinced that the only legitimate reason anyone could possibly have for walking into a room where he is present, is to pick him up. If you leave this hope unfulfilled, he makes sure you know about it. | ||
| + | |||
| + | There is, of course, a difference between hope and unrealistic expectations. But it's a very fine line, I think. When we put our hope in something, it almost has to be just a little bit unrealistic. Not many people spend their time hoping fervently that the sun will rise in the morning, or that 2+2 will equal 4, or that April will come after March. | ||
Revision as of 20:58, 16 March 2013
Romans 8:18-25
18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; 20for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; 23and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Psalm 126
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
‘The Lord has done great things for them.’
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
and we rejoiced.
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like the watercourses in the Negeb.
5 May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves.
Psalm 126: Growing Hope
Everything I know about hope I learned from my three children. My oldest son, Grady, came home one day a few months ago and said, "Dad, I'm going to Washington DC!" "Really? How's that going to happen?" "Well, my class at school is having a spelling bee. If I win the spelling be in my class, I get to compete in the school spelling be, and if I win that, I get to compete in the El Paso spelling bee, then if I win that I get to compete in the Texas spelling bee, and if I win that, I get to go to Washington DC and compete in the national spelling bee. So I'm going to Washington DC!"
My daughter Abby was at her grandparents' house a few weeks ago and decided to gather some sticks and grass together and make a birds' nest in their backyard...so yesterday when she saw her grandparents, she of course wanted to know if any birds had moved into it yet, and how they were getting along, if any improvements needed to be made, (I think she might also have been considering raising their rent...)
And my youngest son Jonah is convinced that the only legitimate reason anyone could possibly have for walking into a room where he is present, is to pick him up. If you leave this hope unfulfilled, he makes sure you know about it.
There is, of course, a difference between hope and unrealistic expectations. But it's a very fine line, I think. When we put our hope in something, it almost has to be just a little bit unrealistic. Not many people spend their time hoping fervently that the sun will rise in the morning, or that 2+2 will equal 4, or that April will come after March.
