What Do You Hope For?

In an effort to teach our children how to handle money, about a year ago we started paying them for their "jobs." They each do a chore pack every morning and we pay them for their performance during school, which includes their "grade" for each class and their behavior(attitude, willingness to learn, etc.).

Nori and Christian get paid when we get paid and so they know paydays very well. God recently used that fact to encourage me. As I said, both of the kids are aware of when payday is. They know not to ask to be paid until the 1st or 15th. However, they've also seen that those days are very busy because of the things that have to be done as a result of us getting paid (groceries, bills, errands) so occasionally they remind me on the 16th that they haven't been paid yet. I let them know that I haven't forgotten about it.

They always take that answer and wait patiently for it. They know that I've promised them something and that I have to do somethings before they can be paid. They don't know the exact moment dollars will be in their hands, but they trust that I'll deliver as promised. They live with a sure expectancy.

We should do the same with God. He has clearly told us that we are not citizens of this world, that we are His children and heirs with Jesus, and that He is coming back for us (or taking us home at death). We have to maintain our faith and trust that God will deliver! He's able to come through on His promise! How should that effect our daily lives? I'm sure it should effect us in several ways - all of which are good. I pray that we will all remember that truth and remember what our identity is.

"And even we Christian, although we have the Holy Spirit w/in us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be release from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us. Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For if you already have something, you don't need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don't have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently." (Romans 8:23-25)