Hope

Last night and this morning, I couldn't sleep, and so finally I made myself get up and see if God had something to say to me.  Of course He did.  I have been feeling pretty defeated lately and, if I'm honest, a bit empty.  Oh life seemed fine -- I've been working like crazy organizing every nook and cranny of my home, planning tons of top-notch lessons, keeping busy in the garden that is just gorgeous this time of year.  But I should have known!  Often when I'm antsy to fill every second of my day with something, my soul is just aching for rest, for reflection, for renewal.  But those things can only happen when I stop, and when I stop, other emotions come, emotions and truths that I'd rather not deal with and face because they're hard and painful.

Sometimes when I finally go to God, He so clearly speaks, and that was the case this morning.  I needed to hear the power and hope of Romans 8.  I needed to hear that I am new in Christ and that God's mighty Holy Spirit lives inside of me.  I needed to hear that there is no condemnation, no fear, no death in Christ.  

Perhaps you need to hear this, too.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death...If Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.  And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you...Those who are led by the Spirit are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.  And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." (Romans 8:1, 9-11, 14-16)

Yes, that is exactly what I needed to hear.  My soul needed to be free this morning to cry, "Abba, Father" without me telling it to bottle it up.  No condemnation, no fear, no death; instead freedom, peace, and life!