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Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International. |
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The Thrill of Hope
But as for me, I
watch in hope for the Lord, I wait
for God my Savior. My God will hear me.1 In the early 1970s, researchers set up a famous experiment with young
children known as the Marshmallow Test. In this demonstration, a child was
placed in a room with a marshmallow in front of them on a table. The child was
told, “You can eat this one marshmallow now. But if you wait 15 minutes, I will
give you two.” They were then left alone in the room to be observed by the
scientists behind a window. Some kids stared at the marshmallow. Some poked at
it. A few even licked it. Others did their best to distract themselves by
singing, dancing, or covering their eyes"anything to receive a greater reward.
Some gave in to the instant gratification of the sweet treat. But others waited
and earned their second portion. Curious with the results, researchers decided
to track these children for years and what they found proved quite interesting.
The kids who were able to wait tended to do better in school, manage stress
more effectively, and even had healthier relationships. They had learned at a
young age that hope for a future reward changes the way you live in the present. This is a good picture of what it means to hope or wait on the Lord.
Sometimes God chooses to set our blessing just out of reach and when we choose
to patiently wait, He is forming our character. Hope is God’s gift to us and is
the very Hope we celebrate in this Christmas season. God sent Hope to us in the
form of His Son, Jesus. The Classic Carol, “O Holy Night” speaks of the thrill
of Hope at the arrival of the Savior. Patiently waiting for God’s timing can
be difficult and we may find ourselves giving in to the temptation of instant
gratification, but God has promised us that a greater portion of blessing is
coming if we wait. Eating the marshmallow now may be easier, but God has something better"a Hope for Salvation and an eternity with Him! Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, may my Hope be in You not in the instant
gratification this world offers me. Give me the strength to be patient and wait
on You for the greater blessings I know you have in store for me. In the name
of Jesus I pray, Amen. 1.
Micah 7:7
(NIV). Today’s Encounter was written by: Veronica B. |
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