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Apr 16, 2025 06:00am

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It was a day we looked forward to all year – Natural High Day. It was a day where each class picked a school improvement project and, in the morning, worked to get that accomplished. After a cookout at lunch, there were tons of outside games and races with the teachers and students.

One year, our class had decided to make a nice flower bed in between the Home Ec building and the Old Building that housed the library and a few classes. Someone suggested a bird bath in the middle. And I thought it would be awesome if it was a fountain with flowing water.

Mrs. Kathy Ward Franks said we would need a pump and electricity for that. I stared at her in disbelief.

“No, you don’t,” I said with certainty.

She asked me how I thought the water would just flow on its own.

I replied, “Well, we could just syphon it like you do gas to get it started, and then it will just keep flowing.”

I have never seen her laugh so hard.

“Honey, you have to have a power source. The water can’t just flow on its own.”

Romans 15:13
“13 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.”

Paul has been speaking to the believers in Rome about how to glorify God as a unified body of believers. This verse closes out his urge for them to love one another, encourage each other, and teach and build up the body of Christ with patience and kindness.

Hope. Joy. Peace.

These are words we throw around a lot in conversation. But left alone, they are just that, words. They need a power source. We cannot generate them on our own. We can’t just close our eyes and wish things to be true. Like that fountain, to be filled, we have to have a power source.

This is why Jesus sent the Holy Spirit. By His power, not only are we filled, but these things overflow from us. How can we face horrible situations and remain faithful? How can we have comfort in the scariest storms? Because of the power of the Holy Spirit!

Maybe your whole life you’ve been trying to do this on your own. You think, if you try hard enough, hope will exist and you’ll find peace. But my friend, let me tell you, it won’t work. Your efforts will be like stagnant water without the true source of power.

In order to be filled with joy, peace, and hope, we must surrender to the One who offers it.

Jesus.

The Son of God.

The sacrifice for all.

The King, the Lord, the Redeemer.

The Prince of Peace.

No matter what’s happened in your life, today, you can have a conversation with the Lord and make sure that He is your Savior. Humble yourself before Him, recognize Him as Lord and authority, and confess your heart to Him. Ask Him to save you, to lead you, and to fill you.

And then choose Him every day.

If you’ve asked the Lord to save you but you’ve walked away, just turn around. He’s right there waiting.

Let me show you.

Go to follow.lifeword.org. Learn what it means to be overflowing with Joy, Peace, and Hope because of the power of the Holy Spirit.