Ps 42:5, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
Ps 42:11, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Ps 43:5, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Ps 71:5, For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
We often encourage ourselves or others when facing a major trial in which we desire a certain outcome, by saying, hope in God. By which we mean hope in God for a particular outcome. If that desired outcome doesn’t come, or is delayed, we are negatively affected: emotionally and practically.
We are saved by hope (Rom. 8:24); we have a lively hope, which includes an inheritance assured by the resurrection of Christ (1 Peter 1:3); God has determined an expected end (Jer. 29:11) for His people. There is certainly nothing out of line with hoping for that which has been promised.
But are we hoping in God when something else beyond God is that for which we really hope?
Hope in God is not a means to an end, so that the thing beyond God takes precedence over HIM. God is not a means to an end – He is the highest good and the chief end!
Hope in God is not a step to something else, but the end…the resting place.
When we come to this conclusion in the exercise of our faith, it has a profound impact upon us.
Hope in God:
· Affects our emotions…He never changes. When we know by the witness of His Spirit in us that we are His and He is ours, then knowing Him in Whom we hope is emotionally stabilizing. Peace, joy, confidence, contentment, and rest are all effects of hope in God.
Psa 146:5, Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
· Affects our expectations…knowing that His will is perfect, hope in God keeps us expecting no more or less than what He determines is best for our lives.
Ro 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Produces a spirit of thankfulness, in everything: Inevery thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thess 5:18
· Affects our exertion…knowing that His way is best, hope in God keeps our will submissive to Him and our lives committed to do His revealed will. Produces motivation to serve Him.
Titus 2:12-14, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
· Affects everything, every day…life can get really difficult and challenging. Jeremiah experienced this and was ultimately encouraged with hope by meditations upon God:
Lam 3:21-26, This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
HOPE THOU IN GOD!
