What Does Your Hope Rest On?

Hope. The feeling that what you desire can really occur. Hope is believing that even in the worst of circumstances, that it will somehow turn out OK. With the advent of another year comes a renewal of hope. There is so much we hope for, from better economy to a Congress working together, from world peace to better times. For better health and more success. All of these are good things to hope for. But our hope does not rest in any of these things. For the things we hope to happen may or may not happen. And if we do achieve them, there is no guarantee that we will keep them. What we need is a hope that is secure and able to withstand the fiercest of storms that life can bring. Our hope must run deeper than just a feeling or in the expectation and achievement of certain outcomes. It must rest in the One who is eternal, the One who Is Mighty, the One who is Sovereign, the One who can be our Source of true Hope. Our hope must rest securely in God. Psalm 71.5 "For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth." If the Lord is our hope, then He is our refuge- the One we can always turn to. When we feel inadequate, He is the One who becomes our confidence. When we need help, He is the One who shows up. When we seek purpose, we find it in Him. God is the light that chases away our darkness. His grace and mercy gives us hope. David said the Lord had been his hope, since his youth. He wrote this in his old age. Now when a king gets old, people get gittery. Change was in the air. How would the new king do? Would he be fair? kind? What changes might come? The Psalmist knew why he could put his hope in God. God is Sovereign. God is in control. He has dominion over all things. These are words seldom used today but often used in ancient times due to the rule of kings. A king was sovereign, or in control over his kingdom. David knew that God was Sovereign over all because He is the Creator of all things. God invites us to trust Him with our lives and allow Him to accomplish what He desires. For God has a purpose for each one of us. During 2013 we'll be looking at God's Sovereignty and why, when we put our hope in God, that we will never be disappointed. Have a Blessed New Year! Pastor Pete