Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hope, to me, is faith in God. When I say, “I hope…”, in my thoughts, I’m saying “Please God.”
I know I have no power to do or will anything; however, I do have hope in God, so I’ve learned and continue to learn that I must give Him everything. You know how you have people in your life that if you entrusted them with the most important things to you, they’d find a way to mess it up, either through their own negligence, because they hardly care, or because they do have good intentions, but no follow-through? Well, you don’t have to worry about that with God.
I think in my humanness I forget just how capable and powerful God is. I know His power is unlimited, and increasingly, I need to put my hope where it belongs—not in human hands, but in God’s.
Luke 15:18-32 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’”
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
” ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ “
God will always have a place for us in His life. I am so grateful for that truth.
Are you all surviving the 100th heat wave of the summer? Okay, I’m overstating things, but I didn’t like the ’90s when it was a decade and I do not like the temps of the same number. It is making me loopy. Anyhoo, here is this week’s photo for your captioning pleasure. Have fun and have a great weekend! I’ll post winners Tuesday evening.