June 30 I Saturday

Job 17-19

Acts 10:1-23

“For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.”   —Galatians 5:5

The Oxford dictionary defines the word “hope” as “a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen.” Often the reason we do not dwell on hope like we do faith or love is because the concept of hope is a little too tenuous, and sometimes dismissed as a wishy-washy hope against hope that something desirable might come true.

Biblical hope does not deal in maybes. It is looking forward to the future in a way that gives confidence in the present. Paul tells his young protégé, Timothy, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17). When we place our confidence in material things of life, we will find they do not last, but when we place our hope in God, we will discover His sufficiency in every aspect of our lives.

Biblical hope means orienting our lives around the fact that this life on earth is not all there is. This life and its troubles are temporary, but our hope in Christ is eternal. When conflict or challenges threaten to overwhelm, a great question we can ask ourselves is, “How important will this issue be in 100 years?” We can be so taken with the here and now that everything sits heavily on us, but much of what concerns us now will not matter in a year, a month or even a week’s time.

Nevertheless, we live in the here and now. We must continue to act as circumstances affect our lives, but our hope in Christ means we do not have to grow weary and anxious. When we lose our wallets, we can get on with replacing the contents. When we lose a job, we need not wallow, but trust the Lord Jesus to open the right door and begin looking for a new workplace where He wants us to serve. When we lose a loved one, take time to grieve, but be ever-mindful that we have an endless future with Christ.

Though we live in the “now” on earth, we must also live with the “then,” keeping heaven in mind and placing our hope in God for things not yet experienced but will be. There is a fullness in Christ to which we are headed that far surpasses this temporary life on earth. Because we are in Christ and have in Him all the resources we need for the “now,” we also have the confident assurance of an everlasting life with Him. 

Prayer: Sovereign Lord, You are the source of my hope and confidence for the future. Help me not to stress over problems in life, but to rest
in Your sufficiency and to
live with heaven in mind. Thank You, Lord.