Conversations with Fred cont. 3
Fred continued with, “The coming days are filled with hope.” Now that is an odd statement for one that has exhausted every medical option and is dying. What on Earth, could Fred possibly be hoping or hopeful about?
Merriam Webster online dictionary defines hope as:
1: to desire with expectation of obtainment
2: to expect with confidence
Jack Terry told us (previously) hope is expectations from experience.
1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the HOPE that is in you with meekness and fear.” What is this ‘hope’ that Fred has (and we should have)?
Fred looks with the expectation of obtainment and expects with confidence what comes next.
James 1:2-4 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
Fred expects with confidence that his trials, perseverance, and patience is making him more Christ-like. He knows the ‘good’ has resulted in more names in the book of life because of his testimony.
That is not the end of Fred’s hope. He expects deliverance from a cancer ridden body. No, he does expect a miraculous cure. Fred’s conduct shows his commitment to the unshakeable faith he has that the promises of the Bible are true.
How does he know? 1 John 5:11-13, “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life…”
Fred KNOWS he has eternal life and more, 1 Corinthians 15:52-54 tells him, “…the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.””
Fred knows that he will be, in that moment changed. His body corrupted by cancer, will change into a body that will never know sickness, will never know cancer, and will never again know death. Fred expects with confidence - Hopes - for that day. He has faith.
He is committed to the conviction that he will one day be removed from this world into a place where he will NEVER experience those things he lives with everyday, again.
Fred finished our conversation with one more gem, “I am truly blessed.”
posted by Unchained Slave at 10:55 AM
1 Comments:
HI David,
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
"Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing."
(2 Tim 4:7-8)
Hope that is seen is not hope, for why will one hope for what he plainly sees? But hope graduates into a new reality and this is what Fred sees more clearly. In this he rejoices, and in this we should rejoice with him, though our our hearts are saddened in other ways.
One day we, too, will see this hope wax bright in our lives as the day of our change draws near, and we'll understand his confidence better. Not 'what' his confidence is, but Who. Thanks for sharing.
Loren
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