My Hope Is in Jesus

There was once an old lady who sold flowers. The deep wrinkles on her face, her hair white as snow, her bent back, and old clothes all seemed to tell the story of her bitter life. But this lady would always smile as she sold her flowers. People who saw her wanted to know how she could keep smiling all day, so one day, someone came up to her and asked, "Madam, you're always smiling and look peaceful. Don't you have any problems or worries in your life?

"Are you kidding me? If I started to list all the problems in my life, I could fill the back of a hundred trucks!"

"Really? Then, how come your face always shines with joy?"

"The Bible says Jesus died on the cross and was resurrecteed after three days. So every time something difficult happened to me, I though "Let's wait three days.' I would console myself, knowing that life isn't always about painful Fridays. The dawn of resurrection always follows. If I wait patiently for three days, the Lord would always bring me joy and good things into my life. I learned to trust in His timing, not just look at circumstances."

Her focus was on the resurrection of Jesus. Beinng joyful of good things, and joyful of bad things, knowing they will turn into good things is the life of all Christians. She trusted that this Risen Savior is now Lord of all. And He will work all things according to His good purpose, even if we can't see what that is yet.

- Jesus, the Joy of My Life by Young Hoon Lee