I have been thinking about hope. I looked on 'The World Meters' and so far in 2024 there have been 63,862 and counting suicides. It saddened my heart that those people had no hope to keep going in their lives. I went for a walk to contemplate the gravity of people living without hope and I was listening to Christian music. I heard "People need the Lord" by Steve Green. Listening to the words you would think that it was written today. It was released in 1984 and not much has changed. I believe that social media has only intensified the feeling of hopelessness with unrealistic expectations.
Hope is the desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment; someone or something on which hopes are centered; something desired or hoped for.(Webster's Dictionary) Hope is an amazing thing. An example is when people that are stuck in the desert without water see a mirage have the hope of water and it keeps them going. What are some things people put their hope in: jobs, money, spouse, kids, love, friends, government, religion. When those things fail them there is a devastating affect on people. Some can handle it but it can makes them angry and bitter and some can't. It reminds me of Jesus' parable in Matthew 7:24-27. Two men built a house. One built his house on the sand and the other on the rock. The one who built his house on the rock the storms came and pound the house and it was firm. The one who built his house on the sand when the storms pound the house it fell and the Lord says in verse 27 "and it fell, and great was the fall of it." If our hope is not built on something solid then when storms of life hit great is the fall.
In the ESV version hope is mentioned 164 times. The Old Testament saints had a hope that they were looking towards and the New Testament believers had that hope partial fulfilled but our hope is in the complete fulfillment of the Word of God. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament believer's hope is in the same person Jesus Christ the Messiah. In Jesus parable in Matthew 7:24-27, who is to be our foundation? Christ is to be our foundation. 1 Corinthians 3:11 "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." - He alone is our hope. What fascinates me is people who do not know Jesus as their Savior know that they have a void in their life. They often think it will be filled when they find Mr. or Mrs. right. Most romantic movies and books end at the wedding. If you try to fill the void with a spouse it doesn't usually go very well because they cannot meet your deepest need and disappointment quickly comes. God made us to be worshipping people and that void or deepest need can only be met in Christ Himself. God gave a promise to Eve as God was cursing the serpent after she and Adam ate the fruit. God said in Genesis 3:15 "I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring, he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel.." Eve had hope. That hope was fulfilled when Jesus Christ was born of a woman and born under the law. He became the spotless lamb of God (Isaiah 53). God laid on Jesus who was sinless our sin on Him and He bore God's wrath so that we could have that relationship with our Creator and Lord again. The relationship that was lost in the garden. When Jesus died on the cross and was buried and rose again he bruise the serpent's head. Jesus conquered death and has given those that are His, life. The void in humanity's heart cannot be filled or satisfied by anything or anyone else other than Christ. Those that put their faith in what Christ did on the cross for them and trust Him are His children and have their hope rooted in Christ. Heaven is not the reward of what a Christian looks forward to. The reward is Christ Himself. Mary Magdalene, the woman with the 7 demons, when Jesus cast them out of her she wanted to stay by her Savior. In beautiful picture of how Jesus met her where she was at when she was feeling lost after his death and she was at the tomb. John 20:16 "Jesus said to her, 'Mary' She turned and said to him in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' (which means Teacher)"
I hope and pray that your hope is built on nothing less that Jesus' blood and righteousness. May you know the beauty of being truly satisfied in Christ. The world is nothing more than a cheap trinket in a Cracker Jack box but Christ is like the hope diamond in comparison. If you haven't put your faith and trust in Christ alone may you trust Him today. He is our Hope!
Hope is the desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment; someone or something on which hopes are centered; something desired or hoped for.(Webster's Dictionary) Hope is an amazing thing. An example is when people that are stuck in the desert without water see a mirage have the hope of water and it keeps them going. What are some things people put their hope in: jobs, money, spouse, kids, love, friends, government, religion. When those things fail them there is a devastating affect on people. Some can handle it but it can makes them angry and bitter and some can't. It reminds me of Jesus' parable in Matthew 7:24-27. Two men built a house. One built his house on the sand and the other on the rock. The one who built his house on the rock the storms came and pound the house and it was firm. The one who built his house on the sand when the storms pound the house it fell and the Lord says in verse 27 "and it fell, and great was the fall of it." If our hope is not built on something solid then when storms of life hit great is the fall.
In the ESV version hope is mentioned 164 times. The Old Testament saints had a hope that they were looking towards and the New Testament believers had that hope partial fulfilled but our hope is in the complete fulfillment of the Word of God. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament believer's hope is in the same person Jesus Christ the Messiah. In Jesus parable in Matthew 7:24-27, who is to be our foundation? Christ is to be our foundation. 1 Corinthians 3:11 "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." - He alone is our hope. What fascinates me is people who do not know Jesus as their Savior know that they have a void in their life. They often think it will be filled when they find Mr. or Mrs. right. Most romantic movies and books end at the wedding. If you try to fill the void with a spouse it doesn't usually go very well because they cannot meet your deepest need and disappointment quickly comes. God made us to be worshipping people and that void or deepest need can only be met in Christ Himself. God gave a promise to Eve as God was cursing the serpent after she and Adam ate the fruit. God said in Genesis 3:15 "I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring, he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel.." Eve had hope. That hope was fulfilled when Jesus Christ was born of a woman and born under the law. He became the spotless lamb of God (Isaiah 53). God laid on Jesus who was sinless our sin on Him and He bore God's wrath so that we could have that relationship with our Creator and Lord again. The relationship that was lost in the garden. When Jesus died on the cross and was buried and rose again he bruise the serpent's head. Jesus conquered death and has given those that are His, life. The void in humanity's heart cannot be filled or satisfied by anything or anyone else other than Christ. Those that put their faith in what Christ did on the cross for them and trust Him are His children and have their hope rooted in Christ. Heaven is not the reward of what a Christian looks forward to. The reward is Christ Himself. Mary Magdalene, the woman with the 7 demons, when Jesus cast them out of her she wanted to stay by her Savior. In beautiful picture of how Jesus met her where she was at when she was feeling lost after his death and she was at the tomb. John 20:16 "Jesus said to her, 'Mary' She turned and said to him in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' (which means Teacher)"
I hope and pray that your hope is built on nothing less that Jesus' blood and righteousness. May you know the beauty of being truly satisfied in Christ. The world is nothing more than a cheap trinket in a Cracker Jack box but Christ is like the hope diamond in comparison. If you haven't put your faith and trust in Christ alone may you trust Him today. He is our Hope!