The Best He Has To Offer

While checking out at Walmart yesterday, I asked the cashier how her day had been.  She said, "Ok."  I commented about how that didn't sound promising, and she said that her day had not started well.  She then said it was slowly getting better.  Before I left I told her, "I hope your day keeps looking up."  She gave a half smile and turned the next customer, but it seemed almost as if she were fighting back tears.

As I walked to my car, I was filled with frustration at myself.  "I hope your day keeps looking up?"  Was that really the best I had to offer?  Ephesians 2:12 says that unbelievers are "without God and without hope."  I could see that written on her face - the hopelessness, the despair.  Yet all I could say was, "I hope your day keeps looking up." 

Our amazing God created all of our human emotions and knew the ups and downs we would face.  Yet He does NOT want us to live in despair.  He LONGS for us to have hope!!  Hope of His power in our lives, hope of His protection over us, hope of His grace for even me, hope of a life in Heaven so full of Him that we cannot do anything but stand and praise through tears of joy.

There are so many hopeless people around us, Soul Sisters.  We must be willing to share with them that there IS a better way! (Romans 5:5 says that "hope does not disappoint!") So next time, I envision it going like this: as I zip up my wallet and gather my children, I'll glance at her name tag and say, "Shiela, I am going to pray for you.  I hope you can feel God's love the rest of today!"  And she'll smile and tell me thank you.  And even if she doesn't, it will be worth it.

Oh Father God, put people in our lives that we can minister to today.  We don't always know where to look, so bring them to us.  We don't always know what to say, so give us your words.  Help us to show them that You bring beautiful hope!

Love to you, Soul Sisters!
Kelly T