start to a new week

Yesterday the calendar said “first day of autumn.” Typically, here in Houston that doesn’t mean too terribly much.  But this past weekend brought us some nice changes.  Let’s see, we had a couple of days of really good, soaking rain that we really have needed in this time of drought.  And that was followed by the ushering of some cool, fresh air.  The change was definitely welcomed!  ‘Now if only the start of my work week would bring some change’ was my prayer as I went to sleep last night.

So today was the start to another week of teaching middle-schoolers with this year’s crop, so far seeming be a ‘bit of a challenge‘.  This morning when the alarm went off, my hand hit the snooze button, trying to put off the inevitable.  But when I realized this wasn’t a morning I could sleep in a little, I had to put myself into high gear when I remembered I had an early meeting before school started this morning.

Sadly, I short-changed myself spending some quality time with my Creator before starting my day. But just when I was bustling around,  getting off on the ‘short’ foot, my sweet husband opened the balcony door and called me to just take a moment to look at the sunrise.  What a gift He gave to me this morning.

A beautiful reminder – that no matter what the day before me may have in store, no matter what the challenges may be, He always goes before me.

The Lord is good,
A stronghold in the day of trouble;
And He knows those who trust in Him.
Nahum 1:7

hope in things not seen

photo from Twitter screen shot

Hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?

But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.

In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings.
Romans 8: 24-26

I hope in things not seen.  At the times when my words feel inadequate, I’m not left to myself.  John 14:26 promises the Counselor helps me in my weaknesses, in my inadequacies.  When I am weak, He is strong.  

I pray with waiting expectation, not in a state of limbo.  In Hebrew, ‘wait’ comes from a word meaning ‘to bind together’ and figuratively means ‘to expect.‘

I wait.

Not in fear, not in despair.

My hope is in God and I wait expectantly for Him to intervene in His time, in His way.  And in the wait…
I grow closer to Him with the bonds of Love.