Against All Hope

January 6, 2013

Remember Abraham?  In Romans we are reminded that he in hope believed “against all hope.”  In other words, he had been given a promise of a son but yet he was very old and the promise still had not been fufiilled.  Here's what it then says, “Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.”  That’s against all hope!

I also remember the story of The Hiding Place, where two sisters were in a concentration camp together “against all hope.”  I’ll never forget the story of their unwavering faith in their God.

I’m not sure I’ve ever encountered any situation like Abraham, nor these sisters, and I honestly hope I never have to.  But there are many who see our current state as a nation a lost hope.  I have friends who have lost hope in the answers to many of their prayers, because they’re just tired and see nothing happening.Their faith has grown weak.

It’s in times like these, “against all hope,” that we must have hope.  Why? Because we serve a God who brings life to the dead and calls into being things that are not.  That’s just who He is.

A Body at Rest

January 5, 2013

Did you know that without hope your body suffers?  

If we are shaken by everything that comes our way, and we are always fretting because of fear and the unknown – it affects our sleep, our health, and our sound mind.  Someone who has no hope is a pessimist and sees the glass half empty instead of half full.  The only way to change that is to change the way we look at things.

Acts says the Lord is always before us and we don’t have to be shaken.  In fact, our body can rest in hope, our heart can be glad, and our tongue can rejoice!  

I can’t imagine living a life without hope.  In fact, when I view pictures of starving children in other countries who indeed appear to be hopeless I can’t even take it all in.  How does a body that’s starving rest in hope?  How does a mother who’s lost her son rest in hope?

 

The answer is in Him – the one who has those good plans stored up – remember?  So when we align our heart and our tongue with the truth about hope – our body responds – and it rests.

Be at rest today and ask God to let you see Him before you – the God of Hope.

Plans to...

January 4, 2013

This is a favorite verse of many, from Jeremiah:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Isn’t that a great picture of hope?  Sometimes we think God is against us, or that we’ve screwed up so badly we’ve messed up any chance of having a good future.  

There’s something so fun about going on a tour of a site we visit on vacation.  The path is laid out for us, all the interesting facts are already discovered and available for us to enjoy, and it’s very non-stressful because the people giving the tours know all the pertinent info – safety guards, best route to take, etc.  

God is your tour guide for life.  He’s got it all laid out for you, and you don’t need to worry.  There may be slippery surfaces, places where you’ll need extra light, and even doors you have to push open – but He’s gone before you and has the very BEST in mind – to PROSPER you and not to harm you.

Don’t try to make the life tour on your own – that’s a recipe for disaster.  

Do follow Him towards hope and a future.

Look at the Skies

January 3, 2013

Jeremiah says this, “Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, LORD our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.”

The end of the book of Job also lists all of creation, including the animals, and the stars in the sky, etc.  It’s listed out in God’s reply to Job, when Job has been questioning God’s goodness in his life.  This verse in Jeremiah also reminds us that the showers that fall from the sky are not created by man – they come from above.

God is the one who creates, who sends down blessings in due time, who ushers in the stars to light up the night sky, and sends the sun peeking over the horizon each morning.  And it does a body and soul good to remind ourselves of these things when we start to lose hope.  If He can orchestrate everything on earth and in the heavens, surely he can orchestrate our lives and do it well.

He’s the one who “does all this.” Therefore, he’s the one in whom we should hope.  At all times.

Hang Your Hat

January 2, 2013

The Psalms are full of verses that speak of hope. Not only can we hope in his name because it’s good, we can hope in his word because it’s life.

As mentioned yesterday, presidents, athletes, celebrities, etc. often speak to the masses offering hope of strong nation, a good season, or great stories.  All of America hangs their hope on every word spoken, hoping that the words will be backed by action.  But all of America seems to continually be disappointed in the spoken word.  It’s very evident from the number of divorces, and the number of people who live together without getting married, that words/vows mean little.  After all, vows are made to be broken, right?  No!

We cry out and our whole being yearns for something and someone in which we can hope.  Jesus’ name is good, and his words are truth.  He doesn’t make promises he can’t keep.  He calls us his sons and daughters, when we believe in Him, and he promises that nothing can separate us from his love, and that he will never ever leave us.

That, my friend, is a word on which we can stand.  His name is good, and his words are true.  There is no one else like Him. 

You can hang your hat on hope in Him.

A Good Name

January 1, 2013

Psalm 52 says, “I will hope in your name, for your name is good.”

All of America hopes in names.  We hope in the name of a president – only to be disappointed to find out he is human – just like us.  We hope in the name of a great athlete – to hear later that they are involved in a drug bust – or they’ve just fizzled out in their glory.  We even hope in the name of a celebrity – as we stand in awe at their beauty or their acting ability – but they too eventually fade from view.

There really is no other name in which we can hope, no other name that can be called “good,” than the name of Jesus.  He is divine – He is not like us – and that’s a good thing.  He never fizzles out in his glory – in fact, he shines brighter each day.  And his beauty only becomes more visible as we walk with him and hope in him.

Put your hope in His name, for His name is good.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.