Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12
| Main Entry: | deferred |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | put off till a later time |
| Synonyms: | adjourned, assessed, charged, delayed, funded, held up, in waiting, indebted, negotiated, on hold, on the shelf, pigeonholed, postponed, prolonged, protracted, remanded, renegotiated, scrubbed, stalled, staved off, temporized |
My son returned from his Florida vacation last night.
*Deep fulfilled sigh under the shelter of a tree of life*
When he left (on a great big jet thousands of feet up in the sky held there by only 2 man-made engines and God’s will) while he was gone (thousands of miles from my protective arms) and while he was returning (on a great big jet thousands of feet up in the sky held there by only 2 man-made engines and God’s will)…
…I had all kinds of fiery darts horrible imaginations trying to intrude and steal my peace. All week I hoped, prayed, and longed for his safe return. I stayed very close to Jesus as He walked me by faith through this time apart from my son. My hopes, my prayers, my longings, were fulfilled last night when he came down the escalator into my waiting arms and we shared our trademark Eskimo kiss!
The first thing he shared with me with delight in his eyes was that as he was leaving his Aunt and Uncles house to fly home from Florida, “God gave him a flock of at least 30 pelicans flying by as a send off.”
Ah, what sweet fulfilled peace under the shelter of a tree of life to have my baby home and to know that God was speaking to my son as well as to me.
At least in that area of my life.
Let me quickly switch gears (just like the way my son described the pilot’s handling of the plane in mid-air) to a secret part of my life where hope has been deferred. The Lord brought it out into my awareness last week, even as I waited in hope for my son’s return. There is a longing unfulfilled that He has opened my eyes to.
My days have passed, my plans are shattered, and so are the desires of my heart. Job 17:11
As a matter of fact the other night I was meditating on it before I went to bed. I woke up two times in the middle of the night with that sick feeling in my heart gut.
Are you living with a hope deferred? Is there some area of your life where you long for something, but have not yet received it?
Although it may not feel like it a longing unfulfilled is an opportunity for delight.
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
There is a reason for a renewed hope that makes the heart soar a thousand feet into the air!
…but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; Isaiah 40:31
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. Psalm 130:7
You know, as I sit here and type this devotional blog my cat is laying stretched out, belly up, on the desk next to me. As I look over at him he reaches out his paw to touch me and looks beseechingly up at me with hope infusing his entire little furry body…
…hope that I will reach over and love on him and scratch his little chin. As I do, he exudes fulfillment. I love cats… for just as dogs remind me of faithfulness…cats remind me of hope and a longing fulfilled.
Jesus, you are my hope, my only hope. Amen.
Had it all one day Threw it all away Took my leave with no good-bye Bought some company Bragged that we were free Laughed and looked death in the eye Even far away In a foreign place Where the hungers gnawed my soul Still my heart would long For love's old sweet song And a fire when the nights were cold There's a road somewhere There's an open door There's a hill where the green grass grows There's a family feast Where there's joy and peace Going back to a place called hope Fickle friends are gone Wasted years are long And regret can bring you low But there's a swift embrace There's amazing grace There's a place where lost sons go There's a road somewhere There's an open door There's a hill where the green grass grows There's a family feast Where there's joy and peace Going back to a place called hope Going back to a place called hope PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS BLOG IF IT HAS BEEN AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU IN ANY WAY.
