"The Hope Of His Child" - 2

To put it more plainly: God knows our weaknesses, as well as our strengths; after all, He is our Maker. And when God calls us, He has called us just as we are; with all of our weaknesses as well as our strengths. Here is the thing that might seem a little strange; sometimes, it is our strengths that get us in the worst trouble. The main reason for me saying that, is, when we are weak, He is strong; but when we are strong, we have a tendency to walk in our own strength. This is really the thing which brings down many 'strong' men of God; because they begin to walk in their strength, they forget just how weak they really are. But God knows what we need; He knows our frame, what makes us tick, what makes us fall, what makes us want more of Him; He knows us through and through. It is our responsibility to allow Him to conform us to His image. This is ultimately our 'Hope' as His child: To be conformed to His image. But like I said, 'Hope' does not mean 'a maybe' kind of relationship; it means that we Trust in God to bring us through this place, and to equip us with what we need: much like a child depends upon their earthly father for guidance and substance, but without all the disappointments. We are to be yearning for His guidance with earnest expectation; knowing that He has our best interest in mind, as He sets our course before us. And then, with intense anticipation, we long for the day when He will say, "Well Done Good and Faithful Servant". Our 'Hope' is not based upon chance; but is based upon what we believe to be 'Truth'. Each and every day, is a new day of 'Living Hope'; expectant of what God is going to show, do, or fulfill in us: It must be that way, because without this 'Hope', people perish; which pretty much means that we could end up somewhere we would rather not be. Peter had this expectation that God would still be using him as 'A stone' in the building of His Church; regardless of his weakness which was spurred on by his strength (stubbornness). He knew that Jesus did not tell him that he was 'A stone', only to make him follow Him; but that Jesus called him 'A stone' because He was going to make him into something special; and God was not through with him yet, and he knew that! This is so vital for us to come to understand; because we are not perfect; God knows that, and we must come to realize that He does; but He wants to make us perfect in Him, we just need to let Him... "Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the Potter's clay: for shall the work say of Him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of Him that framed it, He had no understanding? Is it not a little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed a forest? And in the day shall the deaf hear the Words of the Book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of the obscurity, and out of darkness. The meek also shall increase their Joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. For the terrible one is brought to naught, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off: That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of naught. Therefore thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale. But when he seeth his children, the work of Mine Hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify My Name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine." (Isaiah 29:15-24)