Hope

C.S. Lewis said you can only hope for that which you desire.

At age 9 there is nothing bigger in life than the next adventure. I loved to play, I still do but it has taken a different form. Back then it was all the imaginary games like army, pirates, cowboy and Indians.
Christmas was coming and at the Thriftway supermarket of my town they had a shelf above the door that held presents parents could buy for their kids.
It was there I saw the fulfillment of all life's pleasures. It was a Jungle Jim Rifle set.
IT was so cool a plastic rifle that shot caps and had a scope with different colored lenses you could flip down. There was a plastic canteen and a plastic belt. And it was a big present in a big box.
And I dreamed and desired. Just to go down at the store and look at it sitting there was a treat.
But I thought it was too big a dream to come true so I tried to suppress my desire.
But it was everywhere I went. I was shooting that rifle taking down lions that were attacking and bad guys all over the place .
If only I had it for real. I would certainly be respected as being ultra cool. Like DUH how could I not be?
Well, that Christmas I got it , I can't imagine how my parents afforded it, but there it was in my hands what a beauty. Wonders of wonders, miracles of miracles I was a completed 9 year old.

Now I would like to say that the rifle was so cool I never desired or hoped for anything else.
But you know better, by the end of the first day I do recall something breaking on it and sure enough the toy dissolved into broken toy land.
There has been one gift that has never, ever lost it's wonder, it sits not on a top shelf of a grocery store but inside me. The gift opening will last eternity, it will be the fulfillment of every type of desire and then more.
Broken toy land does not exists there, only invitation to come. The cool thing is the gift opening has already begun ,,,,,it is of course Christ in me (my hope) (My Glory)(My unbreakable) (My ever new) (My Father in Heaven).
Who he is , is my desire. Who he is, is my hope.

Come see, see if I won't open the windows of heaven to show all I have for you in me!