God’s Hope

Quiet Praise for Sunday

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Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you, will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:5 NIV

That God alone is my strength and the one whom I long to spend eternity with is what carries me through hard times and failures. That God alone began His work in me is my hope and confidence because He alone will complete it as He has promised and He alone will receive all the glory and praise. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, discouraged or even at times totally defeated, take a moment and allow the truth of today’s verse sink deep into your hearts. Then with that verse in mind, I hope you will be blessed as you  listen to this new release from Keith and Kristyn Getty, Kirk Whalum, Jordan Kauflin and Matt Merker.

Hope Beyond Distant Horizons

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As we will be traveling for three weeks, starting tomorrow, the posts will be few and far between. This devotional from several years ago encourages me as we head off towards our own distant horizons. 

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalms 121:1-2 ESV

When life is all tea and roses, it seems obvious to us that tomorrow will be the same or better. But when the rose petals darken from early frost and our teacups fall and smash to pieces, our forecast changes. Weaknesses, hospital stays and doctor visits clamor to fill up our calendar. On those days where is our hope? The psalmist says he looks out as far as his eyes can see, and on his horizon lie distant hills. Beyond those hills is a new and uncharted territory. What things lie behind them? When we have passed our farthest horizon what then? Then God’s answer echoes back from the hills: – “My help comes from the Lord!” The God who created those hills will still walk with us beyond our farthest horizons to the very ends of the earth!

God’s Promise of Hope

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I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. Psalm 130:5 KJV

Whether looking out the window at a nursing home or looking out the window at work or school, we all sometimes wonder how we will make it. We ask ourselves where we will get the strength to just keep putting one foot in front of the other. When we face outward conflicts, at least we can see the enemy we are fighting. But when things seem dark and confusing on the inside sometimes, we feel totally hopeless.

If that is your situation today, then listen to the way King David found hope when He was in a dark place. He discovered in a moment of failure that his greatest enemies were actually far bigger than Goliath. David’s fall into sin, left Him so ashamed that he wondered how he could face his family, his friends and responsibilities as a leader. Then, at his darkest moment, David remembered that the same God who had given him hope when he fought the giant had also promised him forgiveness and restoration after he had sinned. God’s word was not weakened by his failure and there was no limit to how much God could restore when he turned his heart towards Him. Just as with King David, God offers us hope and His promise does not have an expiration date. We have not missed our chance to ask God for His help.  Right now, even if we feel we are at the end of our rope, it is the right time to put our hope in His word. Ask God for His help because today is the perfect day in all eternity to put our hope in His word!