The Great Hope
A picture of the temple steps in Jerusalem. The children of Israel would have sung the Psalms of Ascent as they approached Jerusalem for the annual feasts. Psalm 120-134
March 31, 2020 certainly did not go as many of us had hoped. Stay at home orders here in Texas were extended until April 30th and school buildings are to remain closed until May 4th. Some of us are reeling, some of us are taking it in stride, and some of us aren’t quite sure how to feel about the whole thing. Worry, lament, and confusion seem to abound. We have been praying and hoping for a safe environment to be able to resume our everyday life. Yesterday hope was disappointed. The hope we had was wounded. Hoping seems, well hopeless. What should we even hope for at this point? It seems futile to even think about making plans of any kind. We want to hold onto hope, but it feels like a prickly rope that is stripping the skin from our hands as we fight for it in an exhausting battle of tug of war. It hurts.
I am reminded of the Hymn “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus name
When darkness veils His lovely face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
His oath His covenant His blood
Supports me in the 'whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my hope and stay
When He shall come with trumpet sound
O may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand
Choosing hope can be painful and hard, especially in our current climate. However, I can unwaveringly place my hope in his Salvation. Today I will seek my hope in Christ alone. Today I will be reminded of the truths in His Word. Today I will choose to look to the Great Hope in whom I can trust.
Psalm 119:114
“You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.”
Hebrews 5: 1-11
“5 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.”
Romans 15:13
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
1 Peter 1:3-9
“3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”
Lamentations 3:22-24
“22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”