Do you see it? Look really carefully.

This is a plant that my son gave to my mom for Christmas last year. It was beautiful and full and lovely.

But, we’ve had the worst time trying to keep it alive. I’ve starved it. I’ve given it fertilizer. I’ve given it a lot of water. A little water. No water. Over these seven months, it has become weaker and sadder. Nothing seems to make it happy or strong.

Two days ago, I’d given up. I walked over to it, grabbed it, and had every intention of taking it to the trash. And then I saw it.

Do you see it?

There’s the tiniest little stalk. Do you see it?

And it spoke to me: HOPE!

With the Lord there’s always hope. Today I received an update from a friend of mine whose brother has struggled with addiction and mental illness. It’s been an uncertain path but he’s doing much better. At so many times, they had no hope his life could change. He was too entrenched in his old lifestyle.

But there’s some light in the long dark tunnel. There’s some hope.

I don’t have any guarantee that this little stalk will create a beautiful plant that resembles the gorgeous thing it started out as.

But with Jesus, there’s always hope. He is the Great Hope. He offers hope.