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.— Romans 15:13
It was a mild October afternoon in 1982 and Badger Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin was packed. Over 60,000 die-hard University of Wisconsin fans were watching their beloved football team take a beating from Michigan State. What seemed odd was that as the score became more and more lopsided, bursts of cheers and applause kept erupting from the hometown stands.
It was only natural that people began to wonder who these strange people were who were cheering while their team was being pummeled.
As it turns out, seventy miles away, the Milwaukee Brewers were beating the St. Louis Cardinals in game three of the World Series. Many of the Badger fans in the stands were listening on portable radios and cheering the Brewers on to victory.
So even though the situation in front of them looked dismal, the Badger fans knew they had an unseen victory to cheer about.
Isn’t that just like the Christian life? Here we face trials of all kinds – sickness, heartache, and loss. But we carry with us the assurance of an unseen victory. We know by faith that no matter how dark things get, Jesus has won.
He reigns in our hearts. His love has rescued us from sin and despair. And one day the whole world will know why we rejoice!
Prayer Challenge
Ask God to help you rejoice in Christ’s victory no matter what you’re facing. Pray for the strength to walk by faith in God’s promises and not by human sight.
Questions for thought
How do you think it affects you when you hold onto hope in the midst of life’s storms?
How do you think it affects others when they see Christians rejoicing in difficult times?