What Are You Hoping For?

What Are You Hoping For?

Last Tuesday I got a call from my one-week-from-being-done-with-college daughter, Rachel.  She said, breathlessly, “Daddy… I got into Gordon-Conwell!”  G.C. is an evangelical seminary near Boston.  (In fact, it is Pastor Larry and Megan’s alma mater.)  Rachel is a theology major at Whitworth with a biblical languages minor.  She wants to be a professor someday so, her next step, is to get her Master of Divinity, one step closer to being ordained as a professor or a pastor.  Hence, the excitement of being accepted at her number one choice school.

After celebrating with my daughter I asked, “Have you called your mom?”  “Yes, I just called her.”  “Have you called Pastor Megan?”  “Yes, I called her first!”  I couldn’t help but whine at that point: “Exactly what number am I on your speed dial, anyhow?”  But after a brief ‘chopped liver’ moment, I was back to celebrating. 

I never hoped for my daughter to pursue a theological education or to become an ordained pastor.  I did hope that she would continue to love Christ, love His church, love her family, and serve God’s world… all of which she does.  That she is pursuing God’s call toward seminary is just frosting on the cake.

What do you hope for?  For your children?  Your marriage?  Your career?  Your health?  Your ministry?  Are there some hopes that God has granted in overabundance?  Are there some long-held hopes that God has yet to grant? 

This Sunday we light the Advent Candle of Hope, and we will look at a psalm describing one of King David’s greatest longings.  David is described in scripture as “the Apple of God’s eye.”  Do you think God granted David his most fervent hope?

Come, see… and let’s lean toward Christmas together.

Pastor Mark

P.S.  We have had a tremendous response to the Legacy Workshop coming December 10 from 6-8:00.  But one thing that has not been emphasized enough.  The primary purpose of this seminar is to discover how to take money away from the Tax Man and redirect it wherever you want it to go… maybe to your heirs, maybe to a charity.  If you are happy giving a big donation to Uncle Sam when you die, don’t come; if you’d like to allocate your resources differently, I hope to see you there.  You may sign up right here.