Biblical Hope

Does it ever seem just too much? Does it seem the world has gone crazy; economically, politically, with floods and oil spills? If we are honest don’t we just want to scream out enough!

I have recently been reading a book called Engaging God’s World by Cornelius Plantinga Jr. and there is a chapter on longing and hoping. What I am getting from this is that as broken humans we will view things with a self centered bias; we can’t help it. And what we truly need is to view things with a Christ centered lens. Only then can we truly trust and hope.

In this book, Plantinga calls this hope, Biblical hope and says; “Biblical hope has a wide angle lens. It takes in whole nations and peoples. It brings into focus the entire created order – wolves and lambs, mountains, plains, rivers and valleys. When it is widest and longest, Biblical hope looks forward toward a whole “new heaven and new earth,” in which death, and mourning, and pain will have passed away (Rev 21:1,4), and in which the Son of god receives the treasures of nations who parade into the city of God (Rev 21:22-26).”

That really puts hope into perspective for me! My hope is too small and too scattered and as believers who trust in our God there is the greatest hope. So as believers, no matter what is going on in this world, we can trust that our sovereign God is on His throne overseeing all things. We can find peace and comfort and strength and hope. We just need corrective lenses to truly see and God loves us so much he has supplied just that lens in his word.

So as things build up, may we all turn to scriptures to bring our worldview into focus. That brings to mind Psalm 25:5 which says; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Abba Father, we pray for great hope in troubling times, we pray for gospel peace and gospel strength and gospel encouragement for all your people. We pray for those facing uncertainty from things such as floods and leaks and war and illness and economic turmoil praying for the greatest hope of all – Eternity with You! Amen and Amen.

Grace and Peace

Have You Ever Had One Of Those Days?

Wow, what a day! Have you ever had on of those days; a day where nothing goes right, a day where you may even feel distant from God, a day full of the 4Ts – trials, tribulations, turmoil, and temptations? Have you ever had one of those days where you don’t know what to do or where to turn?

Well two things; first, we are not alone we all have days like this (James 1:2 - 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds) and second, we do have a place to turn (2 Peter 2:9 - 9if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment).

I recently was dwelling in "one of those days" and I stumbled across Psalm 40:1-3:

1 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

Father, we thank you for lifting us out of our mud and mire, for providing a firm place to stand and with praise may we all put our trust in you!

Grace and Peace!