was
written to teach us, so that through
endurance
and the encouragement of the
Scriptures
we might have HOPE.
Romans 15:4 NIV
Our hope is in Christ, and I remain
amazed that often the same Scriptures that urge us to continue on when life is
interrupted with hardship and pain are the same Scriptures that give us hope
for our future.
In chapter three of Philippians, the
apostle Paul talks about pressing on toward the goal—the high calling,
straining toward what is ahead. Our hope is in Christ, and even though life is
a journey filled with rocky places and difficult mountains, we have hope that
“God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus”
In 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul reminded us
to “stand firm, let nothing move you, always give yourselves fully to the work
of the Lord”. Why? “Because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in
vain.”
In II Corinthians 4:18, we are reminded to
“Fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is
temporary, but what is unseen is eternal”. And when a ruler of the synagogue
was told that his daughter was dead, Jesus responded by telling him “Don’t be
afraid; just believe.” (Mark 5:35-36)
Hope is a natural outcome when we see life
through God’s perspective. It is joyful expectation in Jesus. “The Son of Man
did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for
many.” Hope! “In him (Christ) we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the
riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and
understanding.” Hope!
Because we know how the story ends, we
have hope. “Behold, I (Christ) am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will
give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who wash
their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go
through the gates into the city.” (Revelation 22:12-14)
Therefore, in the midst of turmoil,
heartache, pain, and loss we can still hope—not because of any artificially
produced verbiage, but because our hope is in Christ alone. So when we question
the horrors of this world, we need never be hopeless because:
1.
Our
hope is in Christ
2.
Our
hope is not in vain
3.
Our
hope remains in the midst of crisis and chaos
4.
Our
hope is strengthened when we see it from God’s perspective
5.
Our
hope is firm because we know how it will end
Since true hope is found only in Christ,
we must share it with the world as we too follow the instructions from the
angel to the women at the tomb of our risen Lord—“Come and see…go and tell.”
We have
reason to rejoice in this life, in the midst of heartache, in the midst of
chaos, in the midst of trials and in the midst of our nation’s moral decay. We
have reason to hope in times of defeat in the battles of life because victory
is ultimately ours in Christ Jesus. We have reason to hope in times of
financial famine because provision is ours through Christ Jesus. We have reason
to hope in times of great sorrow for our Savior came to wipe away all tears.
We have
reason to hope because God’s grace is sufficient for every need and every day.
His grace is abundant—never just enough but always overflowing. His grace is sufficient—not
just for today’s needs but tomorrow’s and the next day. His grace is a fountain
of refreshing cool clear water that brings hope in time of heartache, joy in
times of sadness and peace in the midst of turmoil.
So if today
you find yourself in a situation where you are struggling to hold onto hope,
remember—God’s grace is the source of our hope!
© Joyce Powell
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