Yes......and so.....Hope Turned to Love

1 John 4:10

This is Love…

Not that we Loved God,

But He first Loved us and sent His Son

As an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

As soon as she said yes……

Hope turned to Love.

I remember…..

Being a senior in high school…...

Cruising the hallways between classes….

Hangin’ with the Fellas

When…….

There she was……

I had seen her before….

I had talked to her…..

I had even given her a ride home once……..

But now…..

This time……

Something was different.

She was different.

Her eyes…..

Her smile……

Her laugh…….

Her……. Beauty.

Hope began to rise……

I wondered……

Does she see me?

Would she talk to me?

Could she possibly be interested……

In me?

Now I want to  tell you all-

I wasn’t exactly a ladies’ man-

I had been burned a few times-

There’s nothing quite like the pain of rejection…..

To shake a man’s confidence.

Should I or shouldn’t I….

What if she said no……

Is it worth the risk……

I was so lonely….

She was so……

Everything….

Everything good.

Maybe I should just talk to her….

Yeah that’s it……

I’ll just talk to her a little…..

Check her out.

That would be safe….right?

I asked my best friend what he thought……

“Talk to her Charles……

You better talk to that girl”

I can still hear him in his broken Chinese English.

Okay then…….

Here goes.

Hey.

Hey, she smiled as she fiddled with her locker.

How’s it going?

Great- Headin’ to class.

Oh….. yeah, me too.

I was wondering….

You know……. there’s a basketball game this week….. at A.C.

I was thinking I might go….. and I wondered…….maybe if you might like to go….. with me…..

I mean I understand if you’re busy and all, but you know… I was wondering….

Yes

As soon as she said yes……

Hope turned to Love.

I think it’s like that with God.

We notice Him.

We have questions.

We see His Beauty in the Life of Jesus.

We see how He operates in the World.

We see His Power.

He’s such a mystery……… Even dangerous.

We feel somehow…… He’s maybe even beyond us.

Friends who know Him encourage us…….

But……….

I mean look at Him…..

He’s so…..

Everything…..

Everything good……

And I’m not.

I mean…….I hope that He might notice me…...

I hope that He might care for me……

But is it worth the risk?

I mean….. I have been burned before.

And yet…..

There He is…..

Smiling…… Inviting….

“I have what you’re looking for Charles”

“I have……. Life”

Okay then……

Here goes…….

Father…..

Will You have me…..

Will You have me to be Your own…..

Yes

And as soon as He says yes….

Hope turns to Love.

1 John 3:1

How great is the Love the Father has lavished upon us….

That we should be called the children of God.

Thank You Father for…..

Yes.

I Love You Jesus.

Amen