Hope That Works

 

Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust. When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too. The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead. (Proverbs 11:4-8 ESV).

 

As believers in Christ, we recognize and worship Jesus as the true hope of the world, and yet it’s astounding how often we pin our hopes on human beings. In all of our history books, it is clear that people are inclined to find hope in leaders, politicians, and celebrities rather than in the one true God.

 

Why do we do this? Proverbs warns that placing hope in humans is futile because any human power will come to nothing. As the apostle Paul tells us, “There is no authority except that which God has established” (Romans 13:1). By saying this, Paul is assuring believers that in all situations, even in the midst of national turmoil and global crises, God is the one who holds all authority. Any human who has “power” has it only because God allows it to be so.

 

Real wisdom is found in recognizing our limitations. This includes our dependence on others rather than God. I find it puzzling that we so often assign all the pleasurable, good experiences of life to God, and all the painful, bad experiences to the devil. That simply not the truth of Scripture. The Apostle Pail reminds us that the power of God will work ALL things for the good of those who love Him and are called in His name (cf. Romans 8:28). Satan has no power to work good. He is the deceiver and tells us to trust him. Don’t be deceived. Our hopes and desires must lie with the One who is on the throne of the universe. Our prayers must be oriented toward Christ, for he is truly the only hope—the one who can change minds, transform hearts, disperse powers, and bring restoration. He is the Source of hope that works!