Hope . . .

I have the privilege of teaching the 3rd and 4th grade children's church at my church. I love to teach, but most of all I love the kids. They are so fun and full of creative energy, wonder and questions. This past Sunday marked the first week of the advent season. Alex lit the candle of hope and Emma read the scripture passage from Isaiah 9:6 . . . "For unto us a child is born, a son is given . . . and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

We had just finished a unit that covered key people and events in the Old Testament. These kids understood the meaning of hope - they understood how much the Israelites needed the hope of a redeemer. We wondered together if we could ever mess up so badly that God would say he was done with us or wouldn't love us anymore. The Israelites had certainly had their share of goofing up. Before the answer came out of my mouth, the kids were nodding their heads to say "no." They understood that God is real, that he loves them, and that God sent Jesus to bring hope to the world. Hope to Alex and Emma and Seth and Nolan and Mia and Katelyn and David and Andrew and Mason and Elizabeth . . . hope to me.

Sometimes in life we need someone to lend us hope. Someone did that for me last week. Someone who drew me into the presence of God. Someone who spoke words of love, value and life into my heart. I needed that. Someone who had a certainty that God is, that he is a God of truth, a God of hope. As funny as it might seem coming from a pastor's wife, I needed that. The heart of the problem was my heart - it hasn't been all God's - it's been divided. So, I got down on my knees and told God that I wanted him to have all of my heart. I asked him to make himself "at home" in my heart again.

My heart was made to be "at home" with God. Trying to fill it with something or someone else, or trying to search for something outside of his truth, will always keep me searching. The search and the answers are only found in him and when I get that, I don't need to search anymore, only seek. Every heart needs a home and it's never truly "home" unless God lives there. So, I'm done with the divided heart thing. It's all his. A fresh joy and peace fill my heart - how good to be all his - a renewed hope.