12:12

Sometimes a Scripture verse is so full of power and inspiration and challenge that I know I need to memorize it. And the verse that I haven’t been able to get out of my head lately is Romans 12:12. Before I share it with you, I’d like to point out the obvious fact that there are two twelves, because I’ve learned over the years that twelve is a significant number in the Bible:

Twelve implies maturity or totality. there were Twelve Apostles, corresponding to the Twelve Tribes of Israel; and the Book of Revelation is filled with imagery built around this number. The heavenly Jerusalem will be twelve thousand furlongs on all sides, having twelve jeweled foundations, with twelve gates of twelve pearls. There are twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit. (https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/dictionary/index.cfm?id=35179)

And there is even more twelveness in the Bible, if you want to dig deeper. But, suffice it to say that the number twelve is kind of a big deal. So with that bit of theologically nerdy trivia in mind, here is Romans 12:12, rich in simplicity:

Rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction, persevere in prayer.

Ten words. (Dang..I kinda wish it would have been twelve words). But all three sections of that verse have been good for my heart and mind lately.

Rejoice in hope

As I reflect on this part of the verse, I realize that I haven’t been rejoicing very much lately. If you’re like me, it’s hard to rejoice when you’re sad, scared, anxious, worried, unemployed, and/or depressed. I get it. And so does God. And yet, we are called to rejoice. In hope.

Hope is the confident assurance that God is with us now, and that God will continue to be with us every moment for the rest of our lives. God's plan, even when we can't see it clearly, is always “for our welfare, not for woe.” (Jeremiah 29:11). And there is so much hope in the reality that God can turn even the most tragic and hurtful experiences of our lives into something good. See Romans 8:28, which I reflect upon here...

...and look to the Cross to see the most powerful illustration of the reality that even a tragic event can result in eternal blessings, particularly if our hearts are open to love.

In Psalm 103 the writer seems to be commanding his soul to rejoice; it’s almost as if he doesn’t feel like rejoicing but knows that he needs to rejoice for his own good:

Bless the LORD, my soul; all my being, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, my soul; and do not forget all his gifts...

Rejoicing in hope, when I do it, helps me to take my eyes off of myself and my problems - and instead focus on the Lord and his goodness. He is the source of all hope, not only in this world, but He gives us hope that some day we will experience eternal joy - when every tear will be wiped away. I look forward to that.

If you, like me, have trouble rejoicing in hope, here is a song that might help. If you have a favorite song that helps you to rejoice,, please share it in the comments.

Be patient in affliction

Patience. Ahhhhhh! I need more patience. I'm impatient with so many things during this crazy time of waiting. I'm waiting to find out what the school year will look like, waiting for a vaccine for the coronavirus, waiting for the pandemic to end, waiting for the opportunity to hang out with friends and family without fear, waiting for a job opportunity to manifest itself, waiting to find out what Lisa's next doctor's appointment will reveal, and waiting on the answers to so many questions running through my mind.

It seems that every time I pray for patience the Lord gives me another opportunity to practice that virtue! It makes sense, but it’s tough. Practicing patience, especially during affliction, isn’t the funnest thing we get to do.

We all have our own unique afflictions and it’s important not to minimize them by comparing them with the afflictions of others. Emotional honesty about our difficulties and the crosses we carry is essential for an honest prayer life. If there's one thing I've learned lately, it's that we need to be emotionally honest with God about everything we are feeling.

And equally essential to emotional honesty about our feelings is trusting in God, who reminds us:

They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength… - Isaiah 40

We are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison...

I think my greatest challenge during times of waiting is to still enjoy the moment...and of course life is always so much better when I do!

Recently my friend St. Augustine blessed me with this reminder which helps me to be a bit more patient in affliction:

If God seems slow in responding, it is because He is preparing a better gift. He will not deny us. God withholds what you are not yet ready for. He wants you to have a lively desire for His greatest gifts

Dang! That's powerful!

Persevere in prayer

The last part of Romans 12:12 is essential. Don’t give up. Keep praying. One of my favorite quotes on prayer is from the late great Saint Pope John Paul II:

It doesn't matter how you pray, as long as you pray.

There’s a lot of freedom in that! Spending some daily quiet time with the Lord, regardless of when or how or how much, has become an essential source of peace for me. I always feel better about myself, and life in general, when I’ve prayed. And I can tell when I haven’t been praying enough.

Today, I am praying that you can experience all that God desires for you as you strive to live out Romans 12:12:

Rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction, persevere in prayer.