A Prayer about Being Subpoenaed to Hope by the God of Hope

     Dear heavenly Father, if a sheriff knocked at my door this morning with a subpoena, I’d be a bit unnerved, but I’d most definitely answer the door. But today, like every other day, the gospel is knocking on the door of my heart with a subpoena in hand. But the subpoena is to hope, not to the court room, and nothing could be more peace-giving, encouraging and liberating.

    Thank you for being the God of hope and for making hope a calling. You haven’t just extended a general notification or given us a polite invitation; you’ve called me to hope in Jesus just as surely as you called me to a saving knowledge of his grace; and just as surely as you will call me into your eternal presence one day. I wouldn’t think of ignoring a summons from the sheriff; I’d be crazy to ignore a summons from you.

     So today, I gladly make myself a target of Paul’s petition. Father, open the eyes of my heart right now. Wipe the morning crud from my eyes. Help me to see Jesus more clearly today, for he is my peace and hope. I’ll welcome a clearer vision of heaven and all the amazing stuff you’re got planned for us in the new heaven and new earth; but just show me more of Jesus as my perfect righteousness, my constant intercessor, my loving bridegroom, my reigning king, my returning Lord… that will be enough, more than enough.

     Free me from fixing my gaze on circumstances and people. I tend to give them way too much power over my heart. Paul wrote these words of encouragement from a Roman imprisonment, not from a Mediterranean condo. What do I have to complain about? I have real needs, but you give an even greater hope.

     Throw the curtains all the way open; lift all the clouds; do more laser surgery on the eyes of my heart, if need be. Just show me more of Jesus—that’s all I really need. So very Amen I pray, in his tender and triumphant name.