"Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life"
Deferred hope. . .
what is deferred hope. . .?
I guess it's anything in life I'm hoping
in to be my "tree of life". It's anything and all the things
I'm trusting in to make my life meaningful, eventful and hopefully even
memorable. And most of the time I have to admit that those things are
very rarely Jesus centred. Most of them are good gifts from God but I
have failed to praise the gift giver and have instead given homage to the gift
and elevated it to a position in my life where I hope it will bring me
"life", joy, happiness and contentment.
Every time I act as if being a good mum, a godly wife, a caring church member, a good person, a moral person, a slightly better than "that other person" person are desires to be fulfilled and that I should make every effort to fulfill them I am actually sabotaging my chance to have my deepest needs met.
Why is this? It is because I have mistaken those things for the "tree of life" and I have forgotten that righteousness, forgiveness and grace through Jesus' life, death and resurrection are my only true needs. They are the only things worth hoping in. Unlike anything else they will not make my heart sick but will truly lead to "life", joy, happiness and contentment. Living a life characterised by the righteousness, forgiveness and grace that is mine because of Jesus will make my life truly meaningful, truly eventful and truly memorable, even if only to Jesus.
A very simple and no doubt flawed analogy, that would probably anger many an atheist hey-ho:
the little lady's shape sorter. . .stars, triangles, squares and circles. I have spent hours helping her to learn that no matter how hard she tries the square shape simply will not fit in the circle hole. I have a Jesus shaped hole in my heart and only he can fill it. My children cannot, my husband cannot, bible knowledge, disciplined quiet times, good character, good driving, home baking, hand sewing and clean bathrooms (delete as applicable/add your own in) cannot fill that Jesus shaped hole. Why...because only Jesus can. Duh.
In the words of Alexander: Simples!
So join me today and give a quick thought to all those things you might be hoping in other than Jesus to be your "tree of life" and think to yourself...
am I trying to shove a square where a circle should be?
Am I deferring my hope?
Told you there were no more Star Wars references. . .I just thought it was funny.
Told you there were no more Star Wars references. . .I just thought it was funny.
