Living Hope

Bible Reading: Psalm 42; Romans 5:1-11; 15:1-13

Masiko raced to the garden on the other side of the road. The sun shone warm and comforting on her head as she ran. She waved at a majestic-looking kob, a type of antelope plentiful in Uganda, that was watching her lazily from behind some reeds. Masiko gathered some bananas and jackfruit for her mother, then ran back across the road.

She heard the motorcycle too late. Pain seared down Masiko’s leg as she hit the hard ground. A man scrambled off the motorcycle and raced to help her, concern etched in the lines on his forehead.

Weeks later, Masiko was still in the hospital. The bone in her leg had been shattered in several places, and the doctor spoke to her mother in hushed tones about the length of time it would take her to recover.

After Masiko’s mother left that night to care for her brothers and sisters back at home, nurse Afyia came in to check on her. “You are such a sweet girl,” Afyia told her. “You are always smiling even though I know you are in pain.” Afyia adjusted Masiko’s pillow for her. “Masiko, do you mind if I ask you a question?” Afyia’s dark eyes were kind. “How are you so full of joy? Your life has been interrupted by this unfortunate accident and you have to spend your days in this bed, yet you still radiate hope.”

Masiko grinned. “Afyia, do you know what my name means? Hope! I have hope because of Jesus. I want to show you a Bible verse I read this morning.”

Masiko pulled her turquoise-covered Bible out from under her pillow and flipped to the book of Romans. “Here it is—‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.’ God is the one who gives me hope. No matter what happens, I can trust Him because He gave His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for me so I could have eternal life! I am His child, and nothing can happen to me without Him knowing about it. He has a reason for me being in this hospital. I may not understand, but He is with me, giving me comfort and hope.”

Afyia’s eyes glistened. “Masiko, please tell me more about this God of hope.”

-Savannah Coleman

How About You?

Have you ever had something that seemed hopeless happen to you or someone you love? In John 16:33, Jesus tells us that in this world, we will have trouble. However, if we know Jesus, we are not alone. God gives us hope and comfort through the power of His Holy Spirit. We can have confidence knowing that Jesus has promised us eternal life and that any suffering we endure can make us more like Him.

Today’s Key Verse:
Romans 15:13 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. (NIV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Jesus gives us hope