February 15, 2016
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5, 11
Perhaps, more often than not, we feel down in our attitudes and feelings. An unexpected event may have occurred. The weather is unpleasant. Something has gone wrong in our significant relationship. Yet, we have hope.
In a concise edition of the Webster dictionary, hope is defined as “reliance upon the future.” I feel confident we have experienced this feeling at one time or another. An unsatisfactory grade or work review has us feeling downcast or the unexpected rain has ruined an event outside. Despite this, we know times will get better because we have hope in the One who will improve the circumstances.
The 119th Psalm informs us in several instances where the writer states “put my hope in your word.” Isn’t it a great feeling to know when we are at a low point, emotions become better because we have read something from the Bible which lifts us out of our doldrum? After the unfortunate experiences of Job, he says to Eliphaz, “Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for.”
The ancient Israelites often turned away from God and decided their way was the best. To worship idols and to complain, they felt this would help them to achieve what they wanted. However, it was not the best solution. Within Psalm 130, they are instructed to “put your hope in the Lord.” After all, isn’t He the stronghold of your life?
Within the New Testament, Paul provides us with strong advice. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” Quite simply, if we put our hope in Christ, we can trust Him. Our faith will grow within us. “His purpose (with the Israelites) was not to destroy them, but to help them grow.”
Prayer: Let us be thankful, o Lord, that we can have a Presence in our lives which can provide us with reassurance, comfort and hope. Amen.
Jeff Spang