Paul prays for us by saying, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). God is the God of hope. He is the source of hope, meaning he gives perfect hope. Hope allows us to look at the future with confidence that things will work in our favor. And it should be because God can accomplish anything. He plans a perfect future for us. It is with such confidence we can have hope and peace. Paul can accurately ask God “to fill you with all joy and peace.” What a fantastic request. However, this joy and peace are only possible when we trust in God for the future. Where there is a lack of trust in the God of hope, joy, and peace is impossible.
“All joy and peace” means joy and peace in every area of our lives and every stage. God gives us peace and joy as we look forward to college, to work, to dating, to marriage, and to having a family by the power of the Holy Spirit. As we trust in God, the Holy Spirit bears hope, joy, and peace in our lives. He works with us to maintain trust in God. So, we can continue to “overflow with hope” because it is fundamental to our happiness and satisfaction. When we trust God and walk by the power of the Holy Spirit, we don’t worry about the future or tomorrow. We have hope. “
As I look at the life of the children in Haiti, this is the hope I see in our church. They don’t worry. They have joy and peace, believing their future is in God’s hands. Would you be someone God use to bring their future into reality by supporting one child with their education?
Pòl priye pou nou konsa: “Mwen mande Bondye ki bay espwa a pou l fè kè nou kontan nèt, pou l fè kè nou poze ak konfyans nou gen nan li a. Se konsa espwa nou va toujou ap grandi ak pouvwa Sentespri a,” (Women 15:13). Bondye se Bondye espwa. Li se sous espwa, sa vle di li bay yon espwa ki pafè. Espwa pèmèt nou gade lavni nou ak konfyans ke bagay yo pral mache an favè nou. Epi li dwe konsa paske Bondye ka akonpli nenpòt bagay. Li planifye yon avni ki pafè pou nou. Se avèk yon konfyans konsa nou ka gen espwa ak lapè. Pòl ka mande Bondye avèk presizyon “pou l ranpli w ak tout lajwa ak lapè”. Ala yon bon demann. Sepandan, lajwa ak lapè sa a posib sèlman lè nou mete konfyans nou nan Bondye pou lavni nou. Kote gen yon mank de konfyans nan Bondye ki bay espwa, lajwa, ak lapè enposib. Nou paka gen ni lapè ni espwa
Nan vèsè a, “Tout lajwa ak lapè” vle di lajwa ak lapè nan chak domèn nan lavi nou ak nan chak etap. Bondye ban nou lapè ak lajwa pandan n ap tann pou nou ale nan kolèj, pou travay, pou menaj, pou marye ak pou nou gen yon fanmi pa pouvwa Sentespri a. Lè nou mete konfyans nou nan Bondye, Lespri Sen an pote espwa, lajwa, ak lapè nan lavi nou. Li travay avèk nou pou kenbe konfyans nou nan Bondye. Alor, nou kapab kontinyen “deborde avek lespwar” paske se yon bagay fondamantal pou lajwa avèk satisfaksyon nou nan lavi. Lè nou fè Bondye konfyans epi mache avèk pouvwa Sentespri a, nou pa enkyete nou pou lavni oswa demen. Nou gen espwa.
Lè m ap gade lavi timoun yo ann Ayiti, se espwa sa m wè nan legliz nou an. Yo pa enkyete. Yo gen lajwa ak lapè, yo kwè avni yo nan men Bondye. Èske w ka yon moun Bondye itilize pou fè avni yo vinn yon reyalite pa sipòte yon timoun ak edikasyon li?