But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible. (Matthew 19: 26)
Jesus offered hope to every person. Hope to sinners that they could be forgiven. Hope to the lonely that they would have a constant companion. Hope to the outcasts that they could be included. Hope to the lost that they could be found. Hope to those who felt unloved that they could be embraced.
I decided to think and pray about what I hope for.
I hope that this life, though wonderful and beautiful, isn’t all there is.I hope the grace of Jesus reconciles me to the Father, and covers all I’ve done and not done to hurt others and myself.
I hope that God’s peace will direct and sustain me through my own challenges, and that God will use me to be an instrument of peace and justice.
I hope to let go of this life with gratitude and joy, and not with whining and regrets.
I hope that with God’s help I will have lived into the meaning and purpose God has for me.
I hope Jesus will teach me how to love well, serve with joy, give with generosity, and have a heart filled with kindness.
I hope I may live in such a way that someone else desires to know Jesus.I hope Jesus will give me guidance and strength to be a faithful and good disciple, husband, father, friend, and servant.
As I look at my own list of hopes, I’m clear that I can’t live into them on my own. On my own, I see that all that most matters to me is impossible to achieve; but with God’s help, I believe that all things are.
What do you most hope for? I encourage you to compile your own list. Doing so may help you to clarify what matters most to you. Doing so may also reveal that only with God’s help can those hopes be possible.
Reflection Questions:
- Have you made your list of hopes yet?
- What do you think God would have you hope for? Is God’s list the same as yours? If not, what needs to be subtracted or added to your list?
- Jesus says that what’s impossible for us is possible with God. Do you accept what Jesus says? If so, praise God. If not, are you overestimating your own abilities, or underestimating God’s hopes for your life?