Good Morning!
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; (Romans 12:12)
This verse was indirectly suggested this week through a private message on facebook by a young American soldier in Korea. I thought it significant that these words were meaningful to him. Let's have a look.
Rejoicing in hope; On some days we can look around us and see not one thing to bless our souls. If we are going to rejoice today, we'll have to borrow something from down the street. It's hard to feel spiritual or to rejoice when an infected tooth or the gout is driving you out of your mind. People in the north who have less sunlight tend to suffer from gloom and doom attitudes. Sunlight is an amazing antidote to the melancholies. Factories and offices have improved worker attitudes by installing daylight bulbs in their florescent fixtures.
But there is another import facet of rejoicing when our circumstances afford no fuel for rejoicing. That fuel is hope! It's hard to get a person down who has vibrant hope energizing their otherwise gloomy day. Their glass is not half empty. Their glass is half full!
We cannot look at all four walls of a room at the same time. We must turn our heads to see the wall behind us. It is under our control. We decide to turn our heads to look at any particular wall. It is that way if we want to rejoice in hope. We are encouraged and energized if we have hope. Ultimately our hope is in eternal life and the one who gave it. If we are sick; if we are going to die there is hope. Hope of a better place. Hope of a better time.
"Rejoicing in hope" should be the normal life of the believer. The circumstances of the believer may not warrant rejoicing. The contrary may be true. But as we look at our future, and in hope project ourselves into other circumstances which are more favorable we can actually rejoice!
Patient in tribulation; It is hard to be patient with a tooth ache. We want relief from pain right now. But one of God's principles is expressed here: …weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning (Psalm 30:5). One fellow said: "I want patience and I want it right now!" Patient in tribulation; it won't always be like this.
Continuing instant in prayer. Clarke says it best: "Making the most fervent and intense application to the throne of grace for the light and power of the Holy Spirit; without which you can neither abhor evil, do good, love the brethren, entertain a comfortable hope, nor bear up patiently under the tribulations and ills of life." It is God's will that we pray as a way of life, not just when we are gloomy or in trouble.Ω
The Constitution of the United States
Article I
Section 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature. (I.e. the voters in that State must be qualified to vote also for members of the House of Representatives in that State.)
●To read the history and full text of the U.S. Constitution go here:→ http://www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm
This article can also be viewed at www.bibleliving.blogspot.com.
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