June 20, 2018

“But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.  My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.” Psalm 71:14

I tend to be a hopeful person.  Not to say that I’m never depressed or sad, but I don’t seem to float over to the hopeless side of the pool.  I can’t take credit for this hopefulness. l I’ve been like this since I was a little girl – something God built into my DNA.

At the beginning of this year, I started a word study of the word “Hope”.  I looked up every verse in the Bible I could find about “Hope”.

A lot of the verses about hope have to do with waiting.  But not twiddle-your-thumbs waiting.  Hope is about waiting in anticipation.  Waiting patiently.  Waiting while fully trusting that God is at work aka FAITH.

Our hope in God is so multi-faceted because His righteousness and salvation can’t be measured.  This hope in Him causes us to want to live holy lives.  It is our confidence in God and His Word.  It is our anchor in rough patches.  It protects us from enemy attack because it reminds us who we belong to.  It keeps us from being spiritually lethargic.  It encourages us to press on and look forward.

But I can’t put the emphasis on my hope.  The emphasis in on who my hope is in.  It can’t be in myself or my efforts – ugh. . . I let myself down all of the time.  My hope is in God who never changes.  He is trustworthy.  He keeps His promises.  He is my salvation. He has done all of the work.

Lord, my hope is in you.  You alone are worthy of my hope and trust.   Teach me what I need to learn while I’m in this hopeful time.  This waiting-in-anticipation time.  I cannot be hopeful in my own strength – only in yours.  Your Words are a wonderful comfort to me during this time.  Your Words are refreshing the hope that is within me.

“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 33:20-22

Amen