I
live in two worlds: an earthly nation and a heavenly kingdom. Earthly
circumstances may, at times, dictate my thoughts and emotions; but when I
look up, I see my heavenly King who reigns over all. He has prepared a
magnificent future for His beloved friends. Like a beacon of light, that
vision of eternal fellowship with my Lord beckons me onward in spite of
obstacles and opposition. Like Paul, I aim to
"press toward the goal for
the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Phil 3:14
When my finite human sight shows me
loss and failure, the God of
Hope points me toward His heavenly victory and sufficiency. Into my grief, He
bring comfort. Into my weakness, he brings divine strength. Through
the marred and broken pieces of this "earthen vessel," He demonstrates His
beauty and triumph. He sees my longing to be pure and holy, worthy to live
in His wonderful presence, fit to be a messenger of His hope to others --
and He promises to accomplish it.
[1 Thess
5:23-24] Therefore,
"I will greatly rejoice in the
Lord,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its bud,
As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth,
So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth...."
Isaiah
61:10-11
My God of Hope transforms
hopelessness into victory for all who walk with Him and count on His
promises. Abraham saw the deadness of his and Sarah's old bodies, yet,
"he
did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened
in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had
promised He was also able to perform. ” Romans 4:19-22
And --
"By faith Abraham obeyed when he
was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an
inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith
he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in
tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for
he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is
God."
Heb 11:8-10
Habakkuk saw the destruction of the
beloved land, but looked beyond the devastation to the faithfulness of His
Lord:
"Though the fig tree may not
blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines....
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills."
Hab 3:17-19
Hope's final triumph is over death
-- when, seeing my beloved Bridegroom face to face, my old body will be
transformed and I shall be like Him! What a glorious morning!
Hope means
choosing to trust God, to remember His promises, to wait for His timing, to
endure the pain He allows and to ever rejoice in His total sufficiency. It
means running unhindered the race set before us,
"looking unto Jesus, the
author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him
endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand
of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2
Remembering God's love in the past,
Jeremiah could look confidently toward the future:
This I recall to my
mind,
Therefore I have hope.
Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul,
'Therefore I hope in Him!'”
Lamentations 3:21-24
Jesus, my Hope
and my King, thank you for your Word, your promises and your life, which
cause me to "press toward the goal." By your Spirit, live your life in
me today and make me a beacon of hope to all I meet. Thank you, precious
God of my Hope!
References: Psalm 30:5, 33:18,
22; Jer 29:11; Lam 3:21-25; Micah 7:7; Habakkuk 3:17-18;
Romans 4:18-25, 5:3-4, 8:25, 28-39; 15:4; 1 Corinthians 1:7-8, 15:52,
54; Philippians 3:14, 20-21; 1 Timothy 1:1; Hebrews
6:11, 18-22; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 3:3.
