Hope...

This past Sunday, May 31, Stonecreek Church had the privilege to hear Peter Habyarimana share part of his story (click here to listen). Peter is from Uganda. He became a man as we would say, "Against ALL Odds." Peter was rescued literally physically and spiritually through the organization Compassion International. This organization is more than a typical "relief organization." They work through local churches in poverty stricken countries to release children from poverty in Jesus' name. I strongly encourage you to check them out for yourself and am confident they will stand up to the scrutiny.

But back to Peter's story. He said something on Sunday that has continued to echo in my head. He made the statement that poverty and being poor isn't about lack of money or shoes or food. Being poor is a lack of hope. Many of us may never have considered ourselves poor by global standards (80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day) but how's your hope? Are you lacking? Well, let me tell you that our only hope rests in God. No matter the circumstance or the obstacles we face, He is our only hope. Can you see Him? I'll share a little theory I have with you...since God is always present, we always have access to HOPE. You've also heard me say that when we don't see God it's probably because we're not looking for Him. So lack of hope means we can't see God, right?

Here's my challenge for today...


See how much HOPE you can find. Keep your eyes open. You may notice a bit of the opposite along the way, the lack of hope. What will you do about it? Can you point someone to hope? Is God asking you to help someone see Him? Is there a person lacking hope working down the hall from you? Or living next door? Does one of your own family members lack hope? Maybe God is leading you to share hope with a child from Uganda who needs a sponsor.

When you see God today, look around for someone to share the experience with. Ease over to their side. Put your arm around their shoulders. Lean in close and as you point say, "See that hope right there? That means God is here. Let's see what He's up to, okay?" Then not only are you seeing God, but sharing Him as well.