It has been ten months.  Ten long months of crazily cleaning my home when I get the phone call.  “Can we come see your house?”  Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for house showings.  They are a means to an end.  But to be honest with you, I dread them.

I have often kept up with the house so that a showing isn’t massive amounts of work in that short time from the click of my phone to greeting the prospective buyer at the door.  But life happens and there have been plenty of showings where I am killing myself to have the perfect and spotless house.

We have had great prospects but looming issues of financing, job security and the like that have gotten in the way.  To date, we have only tried ‘For Sale By Owner’ and we can always list with an agent.  Although, I know what that means…more showing and less notice.  But that is for another day.

Today, for the brief moment I have you (and thank you, by the way, for stopping by during your busy life to spend a moment with me), let’s talk about hope.  

It has been easy in these last ten months to be discouraged about the fact that the Lord hasn’t yet brought us the right buyer.  We are confident that He is completely able.  But for me, the waiting has been . . . challenging and refining and l.o.n.g.  At times, my hope has waned.

Hope.

Let’s jump back two thousand years.  I have been thinking about the disciples and what they must have felt after Jesus was crucified.  Their leader was gone.  Their enemies pursuing.  The disciples were scattered like sheep (Matthew 26:31).

They were left to wait.  To wait for direction, wait for answers.  Waiting in the midst of grief, pain, confusion and sorrow.  What would be next?  What would their lives look like next week, next month or next year?  When Jesus breathed his last, they must have felt like all hope died with him.

But then fast forward three days.

The stone rolled away.  The tomb lie empty.  He had risen!  They saw Him and all hope was restored.  Resurrection was hope fulfilled.  All the doubts, all the fears, all the waiting came to an end when Jesus revealed His glory.

At the cross, Jesus paid for our sins and broke the bonds of slavery.  At His resurrection, He conquered death and was victorious.  Can you imagine the joy and excitement the disciples must have felt?

Like the disciples, there are times when we wait in the dark and struggle over maintaining our hope.  We may not know what is next.  We may wait for results, answers or direction.  We may seek resolution, peace or change in our life.  We may get discouraged.  Our hope may wane.

But you need to hear that there is hope!  Not because of who we are and what we can do.  There is hope because of who God is and what He can do.  There is hope because He is alive.

Let Him encourage you in whatever your situation you are facing.  He is at work.  You may not see how.  It may not be in the exact way you would like.  That stone may still be in place for the time being.  But rest assured, He is at work.

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; he is risen!”  Luke 24:5b-6a