Little did any of us dream how prolonged, how difficult, how frustrating, how discouraging this marathon would prove to be. Nor could we have dreamt all the tragedies, division, anger, tension, violence that would be unleashed during these long, hard months. So this little nugget from the Lord has come to mean more and more to me, and I pray it will strengthen and encourage your heart as well. It's simple, but profound--
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13
He is the God of hope. That is who He is.
He is the one who can and will fill us to overflowing with all (not some, not a little bit, not a modicum, but all) joy and peace in believing. Oh how we all need joy and peace--and He's got them in overflowing, unlimited abundance.
His Holy Spirit that dwells within us will empower us to abound in hope. Oh yes, we need His power! His power that raised Jesus from the dead! That's some serious power and that's the power that will fill us and enable us to experience and live in abounding, God-created, God-sustaining, God-strengthening hope.
Moreover, we all know that His hope never ever disappoints, never ever fails, even in the midst of the worst suffering, the most terrible tragedies, the most impossible dilemmas. Again, don't take my word for it, but His: "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (Rom.5:3-5)
So here's my simple message today--we can and should be a people of hope, because we follow a Lord of hope. No matter what our circumstances may look like right now, we have the hope of Almighty God which cannot disappoint and will not be defeated. Might we look to Him and be filled with overflowing hope!
I'll close with some powerful words on hope I read the other day from a ministry that serves parents and families called Axis--
"Experts warn a second surge of COVID-19 deaths are imminent. Racial tensions continue to dominate the news cycle. Economic insecurity is trickling down into every sphere of life. It seems everything these days is up for grabs. Despair, darkness, and depression are dominating the cultural landscape and our interior lives. And yet, as followers of Christ, we are called to be people of hope in a hurting world, which, in hard times like these can only seem like “foolishness to the Greeks.” But is it?
If there is one lasting legacy you can leave with your children during this kairos moment in their lives, it might be this: We are a people of hope. But hope and good old-fashioned optimism are radically different things. While optimism is focused on a good future outcome or a pleasant change in our current circumstances, hope is a quiet confidence in the present based on what God in Christ has done in the past. As long-time missionary and theologian Leslie Newbigin once wrote, “I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.” Amen to that.
For Newbigin and for us, hope is defiance in the face of fear. It is the often courageous task of staring reality in the face and still claiming that though evil, suffering, and death remain, they have already been defeated. Hope is standing in the valley of dry bones and daring to believe God will breathe life into them once again. Hope is mustering the courage to go to the tomb in the early hours before dawn, just in case. Hope is living as resurrection people in a dying world. Hope is joining God right here and right now in the renewal of all things. If Hell is hopelessness, then maybe a little bit of heaven is the realization that all over this tired old world, 'hope springs eternal.'"
Thank You, Lord, that in You, we have true, lasting, powerful, transformative, never-ending hope. Because our hope is grounded in the glorious reality that You rose from the dead, and You are alive, Lord Jesus. Father, we don't know what the future holds, but we know that You hold the future. And we know the very end of the story...and You win. And because You win, we win, so our trust and our hope is in You.
Today, by the power of your Holy Spirit, would you fill us with your hope and then use us to pour out that hope upon every person that we meet. Might we be not just glad receivers of your hope, but generous givers of your hope. Oh how this weary world needs your hope, Lord. In your grace and by your power, please use us. We praise You that You are the Lord of all hope so we can be a people of hope. In Your mighty name we pray. Amen.
To God be the glory.
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