Hope

I have one request. When we finish Haggai on Thursday, let's jump to Malachi. Next Tuesday, we'll start whatever Sue wants.

My thoughts this morning go back to our Psalm from Sunday, "Weeping spends the night, but joy comes in the morning." More important than joy, I think, is hope.

Rewind to worship 9 days ago, "Suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us." The Holy Spirit has been poured into our hearts.

Early in Zephaniah 3, the leaders and priests are thrown up against the wall. Hope has me clearly hearing these words:
"Accept my discipline."
"Find relief from the punishment I'm bringing."

God's people were not fazed. They continued doing the same old things.

Not me. For the next 7 days, you will not get an e-mail from me, nor will I read one from you. From 6 pm last night until the princess party ends next Monday, I'm fasting from e-mail.

God promises, "I will turn things around for my people. United, they will serve me."

Then I read the expression "poor in spirit" and went off on a tangent. I feel poor in spirit and the Holy One brought me to the Beatitudes where I found hope again, "You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family." Amen.