TGIF
I have a small devotional book titled Serving With the Joy of Christ. One of the devotions is on hope, which I liked a lot, so thought I would share it with you today. Hope you enjoy it.
Romans 5:5,8 – and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us….. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Fingers crossed! Good luck! Hoping so! When you wish upon a star….
We sometimes confuse wishing with hoping but there is a very big difference. Wishing is simply wanting something to come true. Wishing has no basis in reality.
Hoping, on the other hand, is wanting something to come true with the expectation that it will. As Christians, we hope through faith. We do not blindly wish. Martin Luther said that “Faith is permitting ourselves to be seized by the things we do not see.” Our hope is anchored in reality because our Savior, Jesus Christ, is real. Jesus really lived. Jesus really died. Jesus really rose. Jesus was (and is!) really the Son of God, who really did take away the sins of the world.
John 1:29 – The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
In that reality we hope, and as Paul says, “Hope does not disappoint.” We have real – and certain – hope that God will bless our work, our service in Jesus’ name. We speak and act in the certain hope that God will use us to reach a world that is lost and in desperate need of Jesus.
We don’t merely wish. We hope because hope is based in our faith and reality – the reality of God’s love for us in Jesus.
Lamentations 3:22-24 – The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
As you go about your work and your day today, do so in joy! Remember – your Savior’s presence beside you and His love within you is enough! It’s all you need!
1 Timothy 4:10 – For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
Our hope is in the Lord. He is our joy and our strength. Trust that in all you do He is using you for His good pleasure and purpose!
Nehemiah 8:10 – The joy of the Lord is your strength.
May you find peace and joy in your hope today and always!