Living Within the Hope of God
Have you ever accidentally seen the end of a movie first? Knowing the ending probably shapes the way you understand the rest of the story.
Well, if you skip to the last few chapters of the Bible, you'll be skipping over a lot of really good stuff—but you'll also see how God will one day make all things right again. He will restore things that are lost, repair things that are broken, heal things that are fragmented, and ultimately make everything new. He will wipe away every tear and heal every broken heart.
That promise for the future should shape the way we live today. As Psalm 30:5 says, there are times in life that are filled with sorrow and grief. These are very real seasons that every person will experience.
The promises of God give us hope to endure difficult seasons. We know that even though things are broken and sorrowful right now, they won’t always be like that. One day God will restore things to how they are supposed to be.
As the Psalmist says, weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning. That “morning” might not be tomorrow morning, or even a morning next week. But one day, God will come with a bright new morning in which everything will be just as He wants.
Until that time, we are tasked with living faithful lives to God while holding tight to the promises and hope that He gives us. Scripture is filled with other promises that God gives us to hold onto in various seasons of our life.
Take a moment to think of a few of God’s promises that are true for you today. Meditate on them. Let them fill you with hope as you follow after God.
Timeless Wisdom
After being rescued from Egyptian slavery and wandering around in the wilderness for 40 years, the Hebrew people finally stood at the edge of the land God had promised.
Though their long-time leader, Moses, had just died, God appointed Joshua to take his place. During this transition of authority, God gave Joshua some wise advice:
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Joshua 1:8 NIV
The “Book of the Law” refers to the first five books of the Bible—also known as the Torah (in Hebrew) or the Pentateuch (in Greek). Today, we have that and more—66 books of the Bible, including the Old and New Testaments.
God gave the Law to Israel through Moses. These instructions reveal God’s intentions, character, and heart.
And even though God was speaking directly to Joshua at that time, His advice holds timeless ...