Our Hope

Pause:

Before you start reading this devotional, take a moment to stop what you’re doing, slow down and focus on Jesus. 

Pray and ask him to open your eyes to see as you read the scriptures, and to open your ears to hear as you wait on the leading of the Spirit.

Read:

Romans 15v13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Going Deeper:

At this time, some of us feel full of hope, others feel hope-less, and still others maybe feel hopeful but uncertain about what life after lockdown looks like.

Romans 15v13 says a number of different things, but its' Big Idea is that: Hope comes from Who or What we put our trust in.

So, where are you looking for Hope at this time?

Some of us are fluctuating on the Hope spectrum from day-to-day, because we are putting our trust in things that are constantly changing. If the news is good, we’re hopeful. If the news is bad, we are full of concern. If a friend or co-worker gives us a good report, we’re up. If we read a negative social media post or negative stats, we’re down.

But this verse points us above all of the voices, all the news and information sources, and all of the influences that might be shaping our hope-levels, to a God who is constant, and is an unchanging source of Hope for us despite what we go through because He rules and reigns over all things.

On the Cross, Jesus overcame our greatest enemies: Sin, Satan and Death. So that even in times of uncertainty, we can take heart and be full of hope, because Jesus has already overcome these enemies, and He is with us now as we face this new storm. 

Here, He is called “The God of Hope”. And the promise is that if we trust in Him: If we trust in His good plans and purposes for our lives and world. If we trust in His understanding, even when we don’t understand what is going on. If we trust in Him even when we are not in control, because we know that He is in control of everything. And if we trust in Him even when we feel powerless, because we know that He is all-powerful. Then, the promise is that we will be filled with His peace and joy, even in difficult times.

But this verse takes our relationship with hope one step further. In Christ, we can be full of peace, joy and hope at all times. But even through difficult times, Christians can and should overflow with Hope, not because of anything special about ourselves, but because of God! He is the God of hope, and our source of Hope, and He empowers us by the Holy Spirit to overflow with His Hope, towards others. So that they might find Hope in Him too.

The Church at this time has the great priviledge of being dealers of Hope in an uncertain world. And we can know for sure, that our Hope is constant because our God is unchanging.

In this time, the Church must be full of Hope in Christ. And then we have the priviledge of sharing the Hope of the Gospel with our world, in word and deed.

Pray:

Respond to God in prayer by speaking to Him about what stood out to your from this passage this morning.

Listen:

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you this morning?

Apply:

Who is God wanting you to share this Hope with?

How can you share the Hope that is in you with others at this time?