Nougat 2

Where do we go during the rough patches life? Consider today’s Holy Nougat

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Years ago, while I was studying in Geneva (prior to Switzerland joining the Schengen Agreement), I was granted a one week pass to attend a meeting in Italy. Upon my return, I realized I had an extra day remaining. A classmate with a car invited a few of us to accompany her over to France as we’d never been. Bottled water was a new thing, and the brand of choice was Evian. I had not realized that Evian was so close to us, but our hostess Antje did. And when she heard the cost of one 8 oz bottle, she happily made our day out a trip to the Evian spring.

We passed the Swiss border, no man’s land (about 3 bus lengths from the French control) and the French immigration check point, before journeying up Mt Evian, all the way to the source of the springs. I felt sooooo sophisticated! I was drinking Evian spring water from the source. The water was naturally cool, felt purer and tasted fresh to me.

Our containers filled, we made our way back home, elated to have been to The Evian and recognized that our hostess could return for refills time and again, although we could not do so easily.

No I am not name-dropping.

But reflecting on God as my Source, more so our Source of Hope, reminds me of the Evian experience. We have legitimate access to the Source of Hope. My dears, our immigration documents are secure through God’s Spirit upon our confession of faith in Jesus. Prayer gets us past the checkpoint and up to Mt Zion. We can drink directly from the Spring, fill our containers, and return whenever we need, simply because we have access.

And when others are feeling hopeless, we are sent out as hosts and hostesses to take them to The Source with our prayers. I end this reflection with an oft-repeated quote, ‘No one is hopeless who knows the God of Hope!’

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May all we seek be found in Christ