This is a picture of Dr. Robert Saucy, Distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology. I'm currently taking Theology IV from him, and really find him to be wise and thoughtful. I enjoy the class a great deal and find his lectures fabulous. The homework, on the other hand... *sigh* The other day Papa Saucy (his son is also a Dr. who also teaches Theo IV, so I have to have a way of telling them apart in conversation, hence "Papa" Saucy) launched off on this short but golden nugget. He stated that our discouragements and negativity should be short-lived because as a Christian we ALWAYS have hope. There is something promised us that will be eternal and good beyond our imagination. Let me challenge you for a little bit: are you perpetually discouraged and/or often negative? Think about this-
"So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever."
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 MSG
I read that last night for Theo IV and thought about how right Papa Saucy is. He doesn't deny that there are hard things and issues we'd rather not experience and pain does in fact enter our life. But life is so much more than that. We have a hope and a promise that outweighs it all-even the best of our experiences. For that reason we can have a temperament of optimism and anticipation! Hooray!
I really wanted to take another picture of Dr. Saucy while he was lecturing in class, but I'd have to use my computer to do that and it's a little awkward... I'm brainstorming on a stealthy way to snap his picture. Look for it when it comes...
