Do You Have Hope?

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You can say a lot about hope.  

There's been book after book written about it. 

There's been a long line of pastors/teachers/evangelists that talk about.

Hope is a great topic, though sometimes, it comes to us in packages with "get well" cards, or sentiments of "sorry for your loss."  

It's not wrong to send hopeful encouragement to someone.  In fact, rather than just the two isolated instances above, there should be MUCH MORE TALK ABOUT HOPE THAN WE DO NOW.

Why?

Because, life.

When the countless minutes of our everyday lives tick by, we can easily lose sight of the goal and purpose of our existence.  If we can't counter the feelings of meaninglessness or tedious, mundane or unimportant with the pervasive truths of Hope from scripture, two things (at least, as far as I can tell) happen.  

Firstly, we align ourselves with "living for the weekend." I've done it.  The hope I should be seeking in scripture - the motivation for living each day with vigor, endurance and joy through the grace of God - is replaced by an impatient posture toward each day, looking forward to "clocking out," and using the weekend as a reward for getting through the week.  

Secondly, it takes away the glorious opportunities set aside in each particular part I play of the bigger picture - God's kingdom work.  Being rooted in wishing "this phase" or "that piece" of life away pulls me further away from knowing and understanding God's sovereign control, and His ordaining every day, every moment for His glory. 

I don't want that!  I want to be a part of something - something glorious!  Something godly!  Something God-planned, God-called, God-sanctioned! 

Now...

What about suffering?

Where is the hope in suffering?

Oh, my friends.  This is one of those topics that truly test my faith and belief in the One and true God, for myself and for others.  It's so broad.  It's so rampant.  Everybody has suffered, or will suffer in some way.

Suffering comes in many forms.  Too many forms.  Too much brokenness exists, and more than we can even comprehend.  Corruption took over our world back in Genesis 3.  That story began a long line of living outside God's wise counsel, depending on our own ways, and living beyond our God-created position as "creation" vs. "Creator."  It's where our "god complex" comes from.  It's the beginning of death, sickness, and the ability to have a perfectly worshipful, unified bond with our Maker.  

It's where suffering began.  Sudden relational severing of humanity from Almighty God is painful.  And had we been the live audience to this casualty, we probably would have seen a once bright and peaceful countenance of the first man and woman turn to darkened confusion and insecurity.  That's painful.  Ever heard of #thestruggleisreal?  It doesn't get more real than this.  

But it doesn't go on forever.  In the same chapter in Genesis, God begins immediately to undo Satan's attack with a promise - THE promise.  The promise of Himself, in human form, to do what only He could do on behalf of all mankind: Kill off our enemy forever (Genesis 3:15), and usher in a perfect creation once again! 
The Bible is explicit in the discontinuation of any and ALL forms of trial, tribulation, heartbreak, and sorrow!  A bit of this encouragement comes as part of the narrative of Romans 8.  Paul writes,

Romans 8:18-30

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." (8:18-30)

DID YOU CATCH ALL OF THAT!?

Friends, suffering is hard.  Life is hard!  Life is the biggest trial of all time, which God uses to bring many sons to glory!  We groan.  We wait.  We don't know when He's coming back.  But… wait for it…

Hope. 
We have hope.  It's given to us to cling to as we pursue the life that God has redeemed for us.  We are in fact called to continue to live as ambassadors of His glory and grace.  The calling does not come without aid - and boy do we need it - of the Holy Spirit.  The above verses are so fraught with joy and hope, it's crazy that any of us wallows in despair. 
Like I said, I do it.
I wallow. 
Boo.

Lord, forgive.
Hope is not just holding our chin high as a way of ignoring our situation or dismissing reality.  Hope is an eager expectation, a joyful anticipation of what is to come, to the degree that we re-purpose our energies to proclaiming the good news until He comes! 
With the help of the Holy Spirit within, we are capable of more than we realize.  We are ABLE to endure.  We are ABLE to face tomorrow.  We are ABLE to grow.  We are ABLE to conquer evil.  We are ABLE to "count it all joy!"

As our brother, Paul David Tripp writes in his book, "New Morning Mercies,"
"We can experience peace in the face of the unknown.  We can feel an inner well-being while living in the middle of mystery.  You don't have to be anxious about the future.  A God of grace has invaded your life, and He always completes what He starts!" (February 6)

This small insert is going into a compact Bible to give to someone.

Praise Jesus and amen!
Much love,

Deeds

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