Sunday, February 2, 2014
Hope
When life deals us or someone we know a challenging blow, it can be difficult to understand what is happening. A friend of mine had such an event recently, and it made us all sad. This morning as I was thinking about that situation and struggles of my own, I wondered at how we can be comforted in these difficult times. What can be an answer to the need for comfort?
Exodus 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
God gave Moses direction to build a tabernacle after the pattern He had shown him in the heavens. We know that Moses new God’s ways of life. How did Moses know them? It would seem in part He knew them by patterns that God revealed to him. If we can find these patterns, we too can know and walk in God’s ways. We can have God on our side if we will but have faith.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Paul said in his letter to the Hebrews that faith requires belief and trust. We must believe that God exists, and we must trust that He is on our side. This is what Paul was describing in this verse. And how do we know we have faith in God?
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Here the word substance means something placed under where we stand. A good word would be foothold. The word evidence means proof. And the word hope means eager expectation. Putting this all together we could say this another way.
Believing in God and trusting that He is on our side is the foothold for what we expect, and the proof that what is yet unseen does and will exist.
Where might Paul have gotten this idea? Paul, being of a Jewish decent, was well versed in the scriptures of His day, what we call the Old Testament. In at least one place, we get a clue to what Paul was referencing.
Psalms 146:1 Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul.
2 While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:
Here we see in verse five that the one that has God for a helper is happy, and his hope is in God. The word hope here in the Hebrew means expectation. This is that same idea of expectation comes from believing that God exists and is on our side. It says that the person that has this perspective is happy. How do we know that they are happy? In the case of the psalmist here, he is praising God as long as he lives. He has learned not to trust in men because their efforts are small and they pass away, even his own efforts being a man.
Today, if we seek comfort, deliverance, healing, provision, then let’s sing praises to our God. If you are like me and struggle with singing, then make a joyful noise in praise to God. Shout His praises! This will help to remind us that not only is there a God, but He is on our side, and we can expect Him to show Himself strong on our behalf! Praise God!
Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You as the Most High! Thank You for Your word spoken from the beginning. Thank You for being our King. We want to trust only in You. Please help us to trust in You, and help to make up the difference where we lack. Please send Your healing, deliverance, and provision today. We forgive those that have wronged us, and please forgive us for our struggles with unbelief and doing and saying things contrary to Your word. We love You. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.