Hope and the great pumpkin

Romans 5:3-5

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Do you remember the old Charles Schultz, Peanuts Halloween special where Linus and Sally sit in a pumpkin patch on Halloween, missing out on "tricks-or-treats" just to wait up for the Great Pumpkin to arise? In their waiting, the entire Peanuts gang laughs at them and ridicules them and eventually, even Sally turns on Linus for tricking her again.



This is not the Christian experience. The suffering we endure does not lead to humiliation for a false hope that in unrealized. Our hope is well placed because our suffering and trials conform us to the image of Christ, they unite us with Him in suffering (Phil. 3:10). Throughout the journey, we are made Christ-like. Furthermore, throughout the journey, we have already been given the Holy Spirit and the vary love of God has been poured out in our hearts. These alone make it worth the journey but they also provide us strength for the journey and assurance of what is to come. We can endure the scorn of people because we have the love of God. We can stand out and stand alone because we stand with the Holy Spirit as our comfort. We can invite others to join us with confidence to know that the same love and the same spirit will be poured out in them immediately as they believe in Jesus Christ. While we wait for His return, we receive so much now that makes our hope secure and our waiting worth while.

Father - fill me with hope and let me experience Your Holy Spirit and Love each day as I wait for You. Develop in me a Christ-like character and may it draw others to You. Amen.