“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1st Cor. 15:19)
Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation of our hope. When we face difficult days, when we are not sure where our next meal is going to come from, when the sickness does not abate but seems to worsen, when there seems to be no shelter from the storm, when all hope seems gone, we have hope.
The world does not understand these truths, in fact, it is impossible for those who have not been born-again to grasp these concepts, that we have a High Priest in heaven, a fellow kinsman who paid the price of our debt in full, that He is our hope when there seems to be no hope left. Those who came before us that were burned at the stake, fed to the lions, who today are imprisoned for His sake have this hope, and it cannot be taken away from us.
“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” (Psalm 107:1)
The Lord Jesus Christ is all we need when we need anything, when everything has been taken from us, when all have forsaken us, when the world hates us, we still have all we need.
“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” (Psalm 18:2)
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
If you have found yourself in a place of despair, go to His Word, if all hope seems to be gone, go to Him in prayer, put yourself in His hands, there is no place safer, no place more secure, no place that can be found anywhere that can match or even come close to the security we have in Him.
While the world is being enfolded in evil, we stand in the storm, as the darkness begins to envelope the entire planet, we fill our lamps with oil, as the waves of sinful man envelope the hearts of many, we stand on the solid Rock. Your house is not built on sand, you are always under the shadow of His wings, you are always loved, protected and watched over.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jer. 29:11)
“For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)
When we stumble, He will pick us up, when we fall into temptation, He is willing to forgive, if we get lost, He will come and find us. He will never leave us, He will never forsake us, we are hid in Christ, the righteousness of God in Christ, we are written in the palms of His hands.
Those who have been crucified with Christ will never know the true depth of hopelessness, they will never know what it means to be alone, we will never experience a loss of joy. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)
In the darkest hours, there is within us a peace that passes all understanding, there is the knowledge that we are loved and always will be, death holds no sting for us, if we have infirmities we rejoice in them, when we are weak we know He is always strong. We have faith in the promises, for He who has promised is faithful and true.
“The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” (Psalm 118:6)
We are never at the end of our rope; we will not be called home until He has completed the work through us that He desires to be accomplished.
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15)
Where there is hope there is always faith, and where there is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ there is always hope. These words of truth may not bring a smile to your lips today, you may be in a place that no one can understand but you, but your heart just rejoiced in the knowledge that you are loved, that there is always hope, and there always will be.
