"HOPE"

Good Evening to All!

Today's Seed: "May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you." Psalm 33:22

Even though cedar-lined hope chests are not as popular as they once were, every girl dreams of the way things will be when she grows up. In her heart, hope has a home.

Christian hope is found in Jesus Christ. In Him we find evidence that God loves us. In Him, there is confirmation of God's plan for our salvation and our lives. Because of Him, we can face the sunrise tomorrow and the dark clouds that may come into our skies.

Because of Jesus we have reason to hope. When He makes a promise, our hearts believe it. Then our hope watches for it to happen. Doubting would be easier, but hope in Jesus overcomes doubt.

Your hope in Jesus will become more important to you when tragedy strikes. A great Scottish preacher said that the most profane words we use is hopeless because it slams the door in the face of God. When you face a crisis with your hope held high, your fears and panic will fade in its shadow. Clinging to hope is the ultimate act of faith.

One of the reasons for our hope is that Jesus never gives up on us. Paul was confident in Jesus when he said, "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6). What Jesus begins he also finishes.

Dig Deeper: The Hebrew word for "hope" is yachal, which is also one of the Hebrew words for patience. Our hope is damaged when we fail to wait.


Background Bulb: The other verses of Psalm 22 list some of the reasons that we have hope in God. They tell us that He is faithful in all He does. He created the world and is still in control. He looks down from heaven and considers everything we do. He has great strength. His plans stand firm forever. He is our help and our shield. we can trust in Him because He is in control.

Sprout & Scatter: Presenting Jesus to nonbelievers is difficult because they have already heard about religions, doctrines, and philosophies. Most people reject our attempts to convince them of our beliefs. But when you tell them about your hope, many will listen. Tell others what God has done for you in the past and why this gives yo hope for the present and the future. Every heart yearns for hope.

Think about it: List some characteristics of God that you hope.
How can you share your hope with a friend?

Prayer Pot: Lord, help me trust you in . . . (Insert your thoughts)


Take-Away Idea: Hang on to your hope especially in hopeless situations.


Good Night to All and may God Bless!