A Hope Jar is something I dreamed up when a close friend struggled with liking her husband. I thought it would be helpful for her to see for all the things she could admire about him by dropping a penny in a jar. Every time she jingled the coins, they would remind her that God was active and working, making all things new.
I since used this idea with our teenagers. A couple of them have been a little secretive and closed, a bit dark and distant. I can’t seem to reach either of them. I’m trying to find anything that shows me there’s still that old light. As I focus and pray, my eyes open and I can see where God is moving… add a penny. Somedays I worry the jar won’t fill up, but others are more hope-filled. The reality is, God is working and He will help me wait.
The verse written on the jar is Romans 4:17 & 18. It says that Abraham called God, the “One Who brings the dead back to life” and “the One who creates new things out of nothing.” It goes on to say that even when there was NO reason for hope, Abraham kept on hoping, believing that what God had promised would come true. My promise is that He will finish what He started!
Do you have a difficult person in your life? Someone that’s hard to love? Maybe they are stubborn toward the Lord and it breaks your heart. You can try a Hope Jar and throw a penny inside for each move of God you see in their life. I guarantee your focus will change and God will open your eyes to what He’s doing.
LORD, give us hope beyond reason like Abraham had.
ForGlorySake! -Anna
