I encourage you to read Romans (particularly chp 4, the beginning of 5, and chp 8). I did so the other day, and it brought such inexpressible abounding hope, that I became misty eyed. To read stories of the ones who walked in faith before us, and see ourselves living in the same way is incredible! Abraham and Sarah are quickly becoming my favorite people in the bible. As I was reading Romans 4, verses 20-21 jumped out at me. They are a powerful poignant reminder of God's promises to myself, to John, and to the world around me:
Too often we don't give God enough credit. God is God; He is the ultimate supreme King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Compared to Him, we are nothing. We truly are. He created us, and He knows what our lives shall be like from this day forward. If we cling to Him, and those shadows of hope that linger during the hard times, we shall emerge victorious!
Two more verses I'd encourage you to look up are, Romans 8:37, and Romans 16:20. Romans 8:37 is my favorite verse. In fact, I wear it on a necklace quite often to remind myself that God knows what's going on, and I need only to trust Him. Romans 16:20 made me misty-eyed again when I finished reading through Romans. To see God's sovereignty over all is a humbling thing. To know He intercedes for us, is another.
Romans 8:24-28 (ESV)
For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV)
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
I encourage you today to read the Scriptures, to not lose hope, and see the Lord working in the shadows (not the literal form, but behind the scenes) to bring us closer to Him!
