Hope in the Lord and His Promises

It’s always funny to me how men try to speak intelligently about childbirth like we have any clue what we’re talking about! That is unless it’s Jesus — the Creator of everything (Col. 1:16) — doing the talking. He once said, “When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world” (John 16:21). While preparing his disciples for his upcoming death, he needed them to understand that the sorrow they’d soon face wouldn’t last forever. Their pain would soon turn to incredible joy!

We’re modeling our joy after Jesus’ joy as we continue our Cross Training journey. Joy comes when we receive the gospel, build our hope, respond with thanksgiving, and evangelize to others. So how do we hold onto hope when weariness threatens our joy?

What You Need to Know

In modern use, “hope” often describes a wish that might not come true. “Maybe my team will win it all this year — I hope so!” But a Christian has a “living hope” based on an existing reality, “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). When we realize that death had no power over Jesus (1 Cor. 15:20), we see it has no control over those who follow him (1 Cor. 15:52-57). God has prepared an inheritance for his heirs (Rom. 8:17,23; Gal. 4:4-7), a home where the river of life flows (Rev. 22:1), where “the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever” (Rev. 22:5).

We “hope in the Lord” (Psalm 131:3). More than all the magnificent outcomes he’s promised, we happily wait on HIM with unembarrassed (Psalm 119:16; Rom. 5:5), unqualified certainty that whatever the “God of hope” does (Rom. 15:13), it will be good (Psalm 145:17; James 1:17). Because of his character, we trust his judgments (Psalm 36:6; Rom. 2:6-11). And because of his promises, we “know” we “have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

Hopelessness says, “What’s the point? Things’ll never get better” (cf. Prov. 13:12). But light breaks into even our bleakest days when we believe we have something spectacular ahead. So, “we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing” even our problems can serve God’s purposes as we prepare for that day (Rom. 5:2-5).

What You Need to Do

Reframe your difficulties, disappointments, and discouragements in the light of hope. When you start considering your situation hopeless, re-consider! “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18). When Jeremiah couldn’t escape his affliction (Lam. 3:19-20), he said, “this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases” (Lam. 3:21-22). God’s mercies never run dry but “are new every morning … therefore I will hope in him” (Lam. 3:23-24). So we “wait for him” without complaining (Lam. 3:25-26; Phil. 2:14), looking ahead to mercies not yet seen (Rom. 8:24-25).

Live with boldness (2 Cor. 3:12) and confidence in Christ (2 Cor. 3:4). Hope links the present and future, looking through the lens of faith in God. Paul’s letter to the Philippians exemplifies hope-filled living, from his conviction that “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion” (Phil. 1:6) to his confidence that “my God will supply every need” (Phil. 4:19). In between, Paul rejoices in what God will accomplish in his imprisonment (Phil. 1:12-26) and strains forward to higher ground as he longs for the day of his resurrection (Phil. 3:8-21).

Practice deliberate daydreaming about heaven. Since we already belong to that new, glorious day, we constantly carry our hope with us, aiming not to drift far from heavenly thoughts. Ask yourself, “What will it be like to see Jesus? Won’t it be great to leave these headaches behind?” Talk about it. Sing about it. “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:2-4).

Through the Week

  • Read — John 11:17-44; Rom. 8:16-39; 1 Cor. 15:51-58; 1 John 3:1-3; Rev. 21:1-5
  • Reflect — Ask yourself, “Do I live like this world is not my home?”
  • Request — Pray, ”Oh God of hope, fill me with joy, peace, and boundless hope” (cf. Rom. 15:13).
  • Respond — Sing a song of hope throughout the day.
  • Reach Out — Ask someone, “What parts of this life are you excited to leave behind?”