“The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures;”

Amazing Grace by John Newton, Verse 4, Line 1,2

A popular verse that Deaconesses choose for their ordination is 1 Peter 2:9, 

 

         “9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

 

           God chose us, not because we are so wonderful but perhaps because we are such hopeless fixer upper projects.  As Simba returns to claim his place in Prideland, Timon looks out at the devastated country side and says, “Talk about your fixer upper.” God took stiff necked and stubborn people like us and turned us into a kingdom of his representatives.

         To take something broken and break it further is no accomplishment.  To take something broken and accuse it of being broken is a cheap victory.  To take something broken and love it back into health and value makes a movie that wins an academy award.  God takes broken sinners like us and works with us according to the grain of our personality and transforms us into works of art without breaking our spirit.  He transforms us with love and we become people of hope and purpose. John Newton had experienced that transformation.

         Think of some of the things you are praying about.  Can you name your “hope” in one word?  Spend a moment fleshing out that one word for your “chosen” person, exploring with the Lord what it might mean and how that hope is secured by God’s word.  My husband is journeying with Parkinson’s disease.  I pray for him “kindness.”  May he be “kind” to the aides trying to help.  May they be “kind” with him as they lift him from falling on the floor.  May friends find “kind” words to encourage him.  Expand that word as God listens.  Blessings.

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