The Red Umbrella
I’ve always had a thing for red umbrellas 1 … …a peculiar liking considering my preference of wet over dry…and the fact my favorite colors are on the opposite end of the spectrum. So naturally…when my home church decided to set up a red umbrella by our welcome desk earlier this summer, my fascination couldn’t help but rekindle. What a nice touch , I thought 2 . This will add some flair to our lobby. But while the red umbrella, no doubt, offered a charming visual, the more I passed it by, the more I realized its unique significance, specifically, it wasn’t just some classy décor there to look cute; it was a landmark drawing people to a place they could connect 3 and discover hope 4 . Suddenly, I could sense the Spirit broadening my definition of the term. Yes, hope is a sure and steadfast expectation ( Proverbs 23:18 ), but this doesn't mean it's limited to a feeling about the future, a dollop of quixotic optimism 5 ...or pride in someth...