Hope is one of the biggest four letter words I know. It's one of those words that seems so small and insignificant, yet carries the weight of something so much bigger.
Hope - verb, to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence, to believe, deisre, rely, and trust.
To believe, desire, trust, and rely on something - all the same thing - is pretty big. I wouldn't want to place my hope in just anything. If I'm going to hope in something, it's got to be something worthwhile... something maybe like Jesus Christ, the God of the UNIVERSE? I've come to learn that He is the only one worthy enough to be believed, desired, and trusted in all in one. But so often I find myself hoping in other things. How does this happen? I'm not sure. I don't purposefully go out with the motive of putting God second. But I find myself doing it all the time.
It's funny, because I even have a promise straight from the Living God.. that when I HOPE in the Lord, He will renew my strength, I will soar on wings like eagles, run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint. You'd think with a promise like that, I'd immediately put all my hope in the Lord.
Who doesn't want to soar on eagle's wings? Apparently me. Because it's harder than just saying 'I put my hope in Jesus..' because that means taking hope OUT from someone or somewhere else. That takes a lot of trust. And it hurts. Because for so long, fear has forced that hope there in the first place. Fear of the unknown, that God really can't do it all. Fear causes me to put my hope in people who give me attention. I often start believing, desiring, and trusting in relationships. As much as I want my hope to be in Christ, I continuously put my hope in others who I think will satisfy my relational needs.
But no one ever can.. that's a job for God and God alone. I've realized I HAVE to put my hope in the Lord. He really is the only one who can renew my strength. His power is perfected in my weakness.. When I am weak, then I am strong. HE and He alone created me, created the earth I live in, and created even the people and things I so often put my hope in. So shouldn't my hope go to the CREATOR, and not the CREATED? God's taught me so much about this lately, constantly reminding me of His wonderful, beautiful promises, and showing me that people can't compare to Him. All my hope needs to go to the God of glory. All my attention needs to come from my Prince of Peace. All my love needs to come from the one TRUE love. Everything else is counted as loss, it pales in comparison.
So i look forward to, believe, desire, trust, and rely on the one and only God who saves, redeems and fulfills His promises. The only one who will ever be 'enough.' And in putting my hope in Christ, I can rest assured that I will not be dissappointed, I will not be left alone, and I will forever be safe in the presence of my beautiful Creator.
"15 then you will lift up your face without shame;
you will stand firm and without fear.
16 You will surely forget your trouble,
recalling it only as waters gone by.
17 Life will be brighter than noonday,
and darkness will become like morning.
18 You will be secure, because there is HOPE;
you will look about you and take your rest in safety.
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,
and many will court your favor."
Job 11:15-19
Hope - verb, to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence, to believe, deisre, rely, and trust.
To believe, desire, trust, and rely on something - all the same thing - is pretty big. I wouldn't want to place my hope in just anything. If I'm going to hope in something, it's got to be something worthwhile... something maybe like Jesus Christ, the God of the UNIVERSE? I've come to learn that He is the only one worthy enough to be believed, desired, and trusted in all in one. But so often I find myself hoping in other things. How does this happen? I'm not sure. I don't purposefully go out with the motive of putting God second. But I find myself doing it all the time.
It's funny, because I even have a promise straight from the Living God.. that when I HOPE in the Lord, He will renew my strength, I will soar on wings like eagles, run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint. You'd think with a promise like that, I'd immediately put all my hope in the Lord.
Who doesn't want to soar on eagle's wings? Apparently me. Because it's harder than just saying 'I put my hope in Jesus..' because that means taking hope OUT from someone or somewhere else. That takes a lot of trust. And it hurts. Because for so long, fear has forced that hope there in the first place. Fear of the unknown, that God really can't do it all. Fear causes me to put my hope in people who give me attention. I often start believing, desiring, and trusting in relationships. As much as I want my hope to be in Christ, I continuously put my hope in others who I think will satisfy my relational needs.
But no one ever can.. that's a job for God and God alone. I've realized I HAVE to put my hope in the Lord. He really is the only one who can renew my strength. His power is perfected in my weakness.. When I am weak, then I am strong. HE and He alone created me, created the earth I live in, and created even the people and things I so often put my hope in. So shouldn't my hope go to the CREATOR, and not the CREATED? God's taught me so much about this lately, constantly reminding me of His wonderful, beautiful promises, and showing me that people can't compare to Him. All my hope needs to go to the God of glory. All my attention needs to come from my Prince of Peace. All my love needs to come from the one TRUE love. Everything else is counted as loss, it pales in comparison.
So i look forward to, believe, desire, trust, and rely on the one and only God who saves, redeems and fulfills His promises. The only one who will ever be 'enough.' And in putting my hope in Christ, I can rest assured that I will not be dissappointed, I will not be left alone, and I will forever be safe in the presence of my beautiful Creator.
"15 then you will lift up your face without shame;
you will stand firm and without fear.
16 You will surely forget your trouble,
recalling it only as waters gone by.
17 Life will be brighter than noonday,
and darkness will become like morning.
18 You will be secure, because there is HOPE;
you will look about you and take your rest in safety.
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,
and many will court your favor."
Job 11:15-19
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