Hope in the Future

 

The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. (Psalm 33:16-22 ESV).

 

Sometimes we use the word “hope” in reference to a wish or a prayer. There is nothing wrong with that. When someone says, “I hope that never happens again” it is both of those. But when we say, “God gives me hope for the future,” that is confident assurance in the promises of the God who has never failed us. Most people hope for a long life, lasting relationships, good health, and happiness. Yet we know that in a matter of minutes life can be turned upside down and inside out, and it can feel like our hopes are dashed. For the people of God, hope is drawn from a deeper well. As the psalmist explains in our reading today, we cannot rely on our own armies and horses, our own resources to deliver us. The beautiful image is that of the God whose eyes are locked on us, whose love never fails, who is our help and shield. God paints a positive picture of our forever future.

 

Yesterday when I wrote a bit about hope, it was a reference to this kind of hope. When our hope and trust are firmly connected to our unchangeable God, we know deep in our souls that God’s love will sustain us through this life and into eternity. This means that even if our struggles continue our hope in God remains. I have often been accused of being overly optimistic. This accusation is based on my unwillingness to release the power of the truth of God’s history on my behalf. So much has been done that can have no other explanation than God’s good will and mercy that I must not fall into the trap of despair because of current circumstances. He has always provided a way forward. His character is such that I can know, without doubt, that He will prove Himself to continue that pattern (cf. Hebrews 6:19).

 

This kind of hope is contagious. Maybe you know someone who needs to hear these words of hope today: the Lord sees you, loves you, and will sustain you. Make that your message to them today!