Our Hope is in God

But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. Psalm 39:7

On this 18th day of November, we thank God for the gift of eternal hope that we can find in Him.

This past weekend, our little guys ran their “Turkey Trot” at their school, and I was there to cheer them on!  Cole was so nervous and he told his mom that morning that he was going to try to run as fast as he could because he really, really wanted to win!  She encouraged him to just to do his best and to have fun – that was all that really mattered! But he had this hope, this dream to win, to be the best. He had worked really hard at becoming a better runner, and he was determined to give it his all!

And he did! He got off to a great start. He was even ahead for awhile, but then those little legs grew tired, and he came across the line in 6th place. We all waited with dread to see that look of disappointment we knew he would have, but instead, he was so proud! He may not have won, but he crossed the finish line before many of the other 5 year olds did and that was enough! He got a participation ribbon and he came running toward us smiling, and said, ” I didn’t win, but that’s ok! Maybe I will next year!” 

Ah, the gift of hope! It keeps us believing, looking ahead with great expectation of what is to come. Where would we be without it!

What is your hope for today? What are you waiting for? Of all the gifts God has given us, the greatest is the miracle of life. And with life, our God promises there will always be hope. In His Word, we are promised that He wants to give us His best, but sometimes His timing is not ours and it requires patience. We are told to “be strong and take heart and wait on Him.” But we all know how hard it is to do so and trust in Him when our situations aren’t turning out as we had hoped.

Perhaps there is much we can learn from David’s Psalm 39. We read that he is obviously troubled as he meditates on his own weaknesses, the brevity and uncertainty of life, and the dissatisfaction he finds in the world. Then in verse 7, he remembers the hope he can find in God, and he turns his attention to Him. In the midst of his despair, He asks, “But now Lord, what do you have planned for me?  What do I look for?  Show me. My hope is in you.” He knew that when all else fails around us, we have a faithful, loving God to turn to, a God we can trust. He knew he could walk with God by faith, and he goes forward  – not feeling downcast, but looking up to Him.

We, too, have His promise that if we will trust in Him, He will fill us with His assurance and strength. As we look to Him for what lies ahead, He will show us the way, and He will fill our hearts with His eternal hope. The hope that He will always be with us and will keep us in His loving care.

May we hold on to that promise and always be grateful for His gift of love and everlasting hope.

Prayer

Our most gracious and loving Lord, we give you thanks for the hope we can find in you. Give us strength to always trust in you when we become disappointed with life and feel uncertain about the future. Show us the way with your love and grace.  Amen