The source of our hope – 14 January 2020
Neville Turley
Itekisi yeBhayibhile
KWABASEROMA 15
EYEZIQALO 3
UJEREMIYA 17
KWABASEROMA 5
“May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13 (GNT)
There is a lovely word picture of the Lord God walking in the Garden of Eden calling out to Adam, “Where are you?” For Adam and Eve knowing they had done wrong were hiding from God. (Genesis 3:8-9)
They may have been the first to hide from God but they were certainly not the last. People ashamed of their actions continue to do so today.
It is so much easier to hide from God rather than to turn to him and confess one’s actions. By ignoring him and focusing one’s hopes in worldly structures or the acquisition of wealth is so much more tempting. Sadly, it is also a hell bent road to disaster.
Throughout the Bible the message is loud and clear. God is the source of all hope.
The prophet Jeremiah put it so well: “Lord, you are Israel’s hope; all who abandon you will be put to shame. They will disappear like names written in the dust, because they have abandoned you, the Lord, the spring of fresh water.”(Jeremiah 17:13)
Jeremiah makes it very clear that God is both the hope of the nation as well as the hope of every individual. He is also very clear about the dismal fate that awaits those who turn away from God.
Christian hope derives from and is inseparable from faith in God. It affirms the belief that what God has begun in Christ will be brought to fruition on the last day. “He has brought us by faith into this experience of God’s grace, in which we now live. And so we boast of the hope we have of sharing God’s glory!” Romans 5:2)
Now that is something to look forward to. The very thought that we will one day share in God’s glory should fill us with joy and bring peace to one’s heart.
What a great God we serve.
Prayer: Heavenly Father thank you for the hope we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant that the Holy Spirit will empower us to spread your message of salvation in Jesus name. Amen
