On an outing, my husband always manages to end up at a Christian bookstore, not that he is looking for something particular, but in browsing around, he never leaves the store empty-handed.

On this particular day, I was the one who spotted some coffee cups that took my eye, all in different colours and each with a separate message written with one single word.

The first one I reached for had the word "Believe":

John 6:69 – We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God. (NIV)

The second one had the word "Faith":

Ephesians 2:8 – For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (NIV)

On the third cup was the word "Love":

Luke 10:27 – He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'" (NIV)

And the fourth cup bore the word "Hope":

Romans 15:13 – May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NIV)

Needless to say, I purchased them and took them home. That was now some years ago.

Often in the morning at coffee time, I select one of the cups, not by colour, but the one bearing the word that suits the way I am feeling — spiritually, that is — by the word and its reference to the Scriptures that I have chosen above.

I listed the four cups here in the order of how I think we should stand as Christians. First, we need to Believe, and then to have the Faith to Love, and the Hope that will enable us to have joy and peace. May we all have trust in Him, that we may overflow with love and hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Most gracious heavenly Father, we come before You this day seeking Your blessing upon us, that we may all have the belief that leads to our faith, our love, and our only hope which comes through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

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About the author:

Anne Russell <annerussell80@gmail.com>
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
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