Sometimes life just beats us down, and our hope runs dry. What do we do then? How do we re-fill our "hope-space"?
There's only one source of hope that will always be there for us: The God of hope.
Paul speaks of being insulted and weary. His source of hope? The scriptures and the God who authored them. "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 15:4-5
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
The prophet Jeremiah knew what it was like to feel alone and hopeless. He also knew where to turn for renewed hope: "I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Lamentations 3:19-26
The Hebrew word for hope is yachal - meaning to expect, to wait, to hope, to tarry. Hope takes time. It takes patience. It takes confidence.
The Greek word means that in which one confides or to which one turns for refuge. Who is the one you turn to for refuge? Is it The One and Only?
Many of the Psalms speak of hope. This is one of my favorites:
The eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love...We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you. Psalm 33:18-22
As we hope, we wait. As we wait, we hope. As we wait and hope, we expect. He is faithful.
Playlist:
Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Crystal Lewis
On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, Michael Card
Song of Hope, Martin Chalk
Glow, Hillsong
It's Your Love ,Hillsong
You're Never Giving Up, Jonathan David Helser
I Will Exalt You, Hillsong
Yahweh, Hillsong
The Wonder of Your Love, Hillsong
His Glory Appears, Hillsong
You Hold Me Now, Hillsong
We Will See Him, Hillsong
We the Redeemed, Hillsong
The Solid Roc, , Avalon
Manifesto, The City Harmonic
His Eye Is on the Sparrow, Crystal Lewis
Here I Am to Worship (Live Instrumental Version), Lincoln Brewster
Kindness, Chris Tomlin
