Passing on Life.

At school I learned about mind, body and soul. Life has taught me a weak heart, leads to a weak mind and both lead to a weak physical frame. All this theological jargon is to say I caught a cold. It is funny that this cold would give my soul some clarity. I meditated on my thoughts last night and opened the Word to think on hope. It was Peter who wanted to speak to me on the subject. So I sat down and listened and here is where we started.

(1Peter 3:15) "...but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as Holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you." It was a strong first comment to say the least. And having it come from Peter, well the brash voice of the apostles always seems to have a curious smile like he knows more then he is letting on. So he let me talk.

"Why is that sometimes I have do find defend against my own heart? The world pounds down causing a tsunami of emotion that seems to drown out the logic and truth in my faith. Is this a testing of my mettle? To show me my faith."

Looking at him I continued. "Jewish thought on faith is standing rooted, unmovable like a tree. So in testing we find how deep our roots go. Still what is there to learn if testing does not lead to a brief intermission of rest. We sat silent Peter and I the Holy Spirit lighting the small room in my heart with his presence. I looked at my teachers and smiled."

(1Peter 1:3-9) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded though faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious then gold that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." His response sent me back to thinking.

I felt the deep stir of that living hope. A fire if you will. The room seemed a bit brighter as I stared at my teachers. Peter seems to have the look like me griping his words was funny. Or maybe it was like seeing a son learn a truth and doing his Father proud I could not tell. The Holy Spirit just tussled my hair as I sat there silently. Jacob (who most people call James) had taught me about taking trials and tribulations with Joy. Peter seemed to want to build on the block; it was the growing living hope that grew inside us every time we made it through another hardship. In that experience our worship turned into something that much sweeter to the ears of heaven. It was true I felt that hope stir even in the depths of my angst in the last few days. All the loss I have experienced and all the good times just made me glad that there are still things I can learn. Knowledge I can pass on. Still this hope has changed me.

I turned my gaze back to Peter and began to think aloud again. "This hope is a gift that endures past this life. Trials are walking with Jesus through hardship helps it grow, change and evolve. I can look back now and see that in the past I would have fallen sulking in my trail and using sin to nurse me. Yet, now the light of hope inside me spurs me to do more, to get up and praise walking forward triumphant. "

The Holy Spirit and Peter both burst into laughing. It was awkward but when they reined it in the both smiled. "Yes you go it. It does our hearts good to know you our child are doing well and are learning much."

With that I got up to leave as I walked to the door I turned around. "Thanks, its time for me to share more. I said."