May the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power
of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
These words from
Paul have been in my mind and my prayers for quite some time. It makes me shout yes, yes I want peace and
joy. Yes, I want to be filled with
it. As I was reading it recently the
word hope was highlighted on the page and got me thinking. May the God of hope…
God is the only
hope in this world. No matter how
desperate, how poor, how dangerous, how complex, how corrupt the situation is,
He is the source of all hope.
Several years
ago I wasn’t sure I believed this truth.
I wasn’t sure if I could tell others who found themselves in trying life
situations about the hope he offers.
But, now. Now, after some trials
and tests that left me in a place of acknowledging that jobs, doctors, or leaders
can’t offer me hope to improve my life circumstances, I believe God is the God
of hope.
Only God can
save his people, provide for all our needs, and solve all the problems in this
world. However, this hope isn’t just in
God’s ability to change our circumstances and make our lives more comfortable. Rather, it is the confidence that He is I Am,
the Alpha and Omega, the good shepherd, the savior, the Lord of Lords, the King
of Kings and the only way to eternal salvation.
He is who he says he is. He does
what he says he will do.
The chaos of
this world will continue. Jesus said:
“When you hear of wars and rumored wars,
keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history, and no sign of the
end. Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Earthquakes
will occur in various places. There will be famines. But these things are
nothing compared to what’s coming.” Mark
13: 7-9
How can we have hope in the midst of all this? Why should we have hope?
Because Jesus
says in this world we will have many trials but we can have hope because he has
overcome.
“I have told you these things, so that in
me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I
have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Because we are
in a war and he as given us all we need for battle.
Put on all of God’s armor so that you
will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. Ephesians 6:11
Because our
present day troubles are nothing compared to the glory in heaven.
I consider that our present sufferings
are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18
Because one
day the fighting will end and all people will fall to their knees in surrender
to Jesus he wins. He Wins!
that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue
acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians
2:10-11
There is our
hope. There it is. He wins! All the battles,
all the beatings, all the wounds, all the tears, will be worth it because through
Christ we win.
for every child of God defeats this evil
world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this
battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of
God. 1 John 5:4-5
He wears the
victor’s crown.
Lord, God of
Hope, fill us with all joy and peace as we expectantly wait to join you for all
eternity in heaven. May this hope,
through the power of the Holy Spirit, overflow in us. May we be ready to give a reason for the hope
flowing from us. May the joy of the Lord
and the salvation he freely gives be our strength. Thank you for being our hope!
Heaven awaits
us.
Oh, yeah, and this is on repeat...
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