HOPE



Hebrews 6: 19 tells me that I have hope as an anchor for my soul, firm and secure!  Have you ever thought much about hope?  Let me define it for you...the joyful anticipation of good! It is when my heart is totally convinced that God is good and is looking out for me.  It reminds of Romans 8 verse 28 where it says that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.  So there is one condition...that we love God.  When I live a life that shows my love for Him, I can depend on Him to work everything out for my good.

Hope is complete confidence in God's goodness!  It is when I understand that His desire, His commitment, and His abilities are all in my corner saying "all is well, I've got your back".  Later in chapter 10 verse 23 Paul wrote..."Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise."  Hope is not dependent on me, but my hope is in Him and the promises He has made.  That is actually a big part of hope, that I know the promises in His word!  That I rehearse them in my mind and read them over and over.  Why?  Because the hope that exists within me will depend on what I think about, meditate on (rehearse) and fill my heart with.  God's promises are fuel for my hope. 

As I was thinking about this during my time with God today I asked myself, Dori what promises of God are you clinging to?  Right now I have been thinking a lot about being His child, so as a child, as an heir I have promises of great value!  My Father wants to fulfill those things that I am hoping for.  Do you remember being a child and knowing a holiday was coming...like Christmas?  You were hopeful that at least something you desired was going to be made available.  You were exuberant and expectful.  You believed that your parents would do whatever they could to give you good gifts.  That is our Heavenly Father NOW.  He has made so many promises in our favor...saying let yourself desire what I have promised with expectation and joy... I will come through for you!

 When that kind of hope exists, it is the soil that my faith grows in.  Isn't that what Hebrews 11:1 means... "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."   So faith is being fully persuaded.  Fueled by my hope in the certainty of God's promises, I am fully persuaded that God WILL DO what He says He will do!  That is a mouthful! 

What about you today...what do set your heart on hoping for?

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