What is it that brings you hope? Is it a steady job? Is it a high paying job? Is it your children? Is it your friends? Is it your possessions? Is it yourself? Is it the government? Is it your faith? Let me tell you what brings me hope.
I have looked for hope in many different places. I have looked for it in my job. I looked for it in my wife. I have looked for it in my possessions. I have looked for it in the government. I have looked for it from my friends. I found that none of those things have given me long lasting hope. Yes, some of them gave me short term hope. I had hope but then it was gone because none of those things are the true source of hope. They all failed me at some time.
I did find however, hope that has been and I believe will be here forever. I am reminded of a hymn that I sang from when I was a small boy. Its message is clear, and I have found that it is true as well. It has helped me to know the true source of hope for me. It is “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” You can find the lyrics here. When I faced trials and temptations I have reflected back on this song that is filled with truth. I pressed in on verses like this one.
His oath, his covenant, his blood
Supports me in the ‘whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my hope and stay.
I have found also that the Bible confirms that my hope is in God alone “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31(ESV) and Micah 7:7 “But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” (ESV) Paul describes this hope in Romans 8:24-25, “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (ESV) As I look throughout the Bible I have found passages like these that confirm that my hope should be built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I pray that you will look for hope in God promise as you live every day of your life. In doing so you will find the only true source of hope. Remember though that all sin is forgivable except the sin of unbelieve in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the cross satisfied the penalty for my sins and yours as well. It satisfied all my sins from the past, in the present, and in the future. My penalty and yours were satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because wisdom shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in helping others to choose Jesus.
If you have not read my previous blogs, you can find them here. You can watch a book trailer about my book. You can find my book, Hope Amid Hopelessness: Our Abba Father Provides a Way Through Mental Illness here. eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press
