I love to sing the words, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness”. A glorious thought to know that my source of hope is in Jesus, to have complete confidence that no matter what comes I’m secure in Him.
“That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:7
“For thou art my hope, O Lord God : thou art my trust from my youth.” Psalm 71:5
Although thinking about my source of hope brings gladness to my heart, I can not help but pause as I think of all of those without hope. I think about those nights when sleep won’t come and fear sets in with questions that don’t have answers or circumstances that loom ahead with all the unknowns. What do those without a source of hope do in those moments? Who do they turn to? Where do they turn for support and comfort?
“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:” Ephesians 2:12
It hurts my heart to think of the agony they must experience in the darkness of night to feel so alone without a source of hope. What do they think of when they look toward the future, or even beyond? What thoughts go through their mind in the darkness?
“So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.” Ecclesiastes 4:1
So it is that I feel God speak to me, stirring within me a burden for those without Him; stirring me to tell the word of hope. He needs me to share what I know, to share my source of hope with others.
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” 1 Peter 3:15
I need to live in such a way that others see this hope in me, that they want the assurance I have in my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. My life needs to give testament to the work that has been done in my life, to the hope that I have as I look to heaven as my eternal home. I need to live so that my life exhibits a positivity that can not be found in the world we currently live. Others need to see that I have not lost hope, that I am looking to the source of hope fully confident in Him.
“Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast;” Hebrews 6:19a
“Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.” Psalm 16:9
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” Romans 15:13