The Hope of Things Yet To Be

We live in a  sub-tropical location, and our city is the only seaport in our state.  Mobile sits on the edge of  the fourth largest estuary in the United States. 


The Spanish, Tensaw, Apalachee and Blakeley Rivers run together into Mobile Bay from the northern side, while Dog River, Deer River, and Fowl River run into the bay from the western side.  Fish River runs into the bay from the eastern side.   Our city has 118 miles of land area and 41 miles of water area.


Not only do we have water all around, but we have water from above, too.  A 2007 study  determined that Mobile is the wettest city in the contiguous 48 states, with 66.3 inches of average annual rainfall over a 30-year period.    

Our elevation above all that water is between 10 and 200 feet, depending upon where you live.  All this tends to make our weather  not only hot, but humid, making it feel even hotter than it is by the thermometer.

But today it is 76° outside and tomight the temperature will get down to 68°.

For the Deep South in the middle of September, that is a wonderful thing.  The slight coolness of the air, that hint of crispness in the morning, is the hope of something yet to be.  You see, we don't really have "winter" as much of the country experiences winter.  Snow is a rare, but celebrated thing here.  More than "winter" we have an absence of summer, a respite from that heat and humidity.

  So these cool mornings and evenings are a hope of things yet to be.  They are a promise of what will come.

Feeling the relief of a cool breeze and a comfortable evening reminds me that these promises are like other promises we have been given.  We have been given a whole book of promises of ". . .that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;" (Titus 2:13).   

Let us avail ourselves of the promises that have been set before us, to give us hope and comfort regarding those things yet to be.  As the Apostle Paul said, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope," (Romans 15:4).

As as we feel the cool morning that is a promise for the relief from summer heat, let it lift our hearts that there is a time coming when the heat of our hearts will be lifted as well.  Let us have hope. . ."And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us," (Romans 5:5).

 "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, 

that ye may abound in hope, 

through the power of the Holy Ghost." 

Romans 15:13