He Is Our Hope!

When my oldest daughter, Amanda, was only 2 years old, her favorite response to everything was, "Could be!"

"It's cold outside.  Could be that's why that man is wearing a coat."

"Look at that dog in the park all by himself.  Could be he's looking for his owner!"

"Why is dad always falling asleep?  Could be he's tired!"

Well, two things hit me in the One Year Bible reading recently.  First, Matthew's quote from Isaiah in Matthew 12:21,

"And His name will be the hope of all the world!"

Jesus is our message, our hope, our strength, our joy, and our peace!  That's why I need to continually fix my eyes upon Him - the Author and Perfecter of my faith, the One who has already run the race and won, securing my victory, and has sat down at the right hand of God (Power!)

Secondly, I found the next two verses (the following day's reading) in Matthew 12:22-23 very humorous in light of the context,

"Then a demon-possessed man, who was both blind and unable to talk, was brought to Jesus.  Jesus healed the man so that he could both speak and see.  The crowd was amazed. 'Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?'  They wondered out loud."

As I read about the crowds' reaction to Jesus' miraculous healing power, I heard Amanda's sweet little voice say, "Could be!"  Which in adult-terms translates, "Ya think?!"