In January,
I found myself so often clinging to verses about healing, rest, and comfort. In February, there were many verses on having
hope and not fear. Psalm 16:9 preciously
linked the two, in my heart“ . . . my flesh also shall rest in hope.” There can be many fears after a miscarriage,
regarding future pregnancies. There can
be many fears concerning cutting-ties with a family’s income, and starting
deputation. There can be many fears
about taking your little ones to the other side of the world. But God’s Word reassures me that I can “Trust
in him at all times . . . (and) pour out your heart before him . . .” (Psalm
62:8) God knows my heart; He knows my
fears. Because of Christ, I can be counted
as one “Who against hope believed in
hope . . .” (Romans 4:18) Even when things seem doubtful, I need not
fear.
Romans 15
has some powerful verses for an often-pessimistically- practical person, such
as myself. You see, sometimes “being
realistic”, can be the enemy of “having faith” or “having hope”. The Bible says, “ . . . that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
Now the God of patience and consolation . . . Now the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing, that ye may abound
in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” He is the “God of patience and consolation”
and “the God of hope”, and He wants ME to “abound
in hope”!
How do I
come by such hope? Do I muster it up
within myself and just seek to become a more optimistic “it will all work out”
kind of person? No! Psalm 146:5 declares
“Happy is he . . . whose hope is in the LORD his God.” My hope is founded
in my Savior! “ . . . that we through
patience and comfort of the Scriptures
might have hope” (Romans 15:4) My hope is founded in the Word of God! “ . . .
that ye may abound in hope through the
power of the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:13) Such abounding hope comes through the
power of God’s Holy Spirit! I cannot be thus hopeful on my own.
Acts 4:13
says, “ . . . and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” By my actions and my words, do my husband and my girls know
that I’ve “been with Jesus”? Or do I live a life of fear and trepidation? Is
there any kind of difference, when I emerge from my quiet time with God? Have I left all fears aside, and emerged a
more HOPEFUL person, because of WHO my hope is founded in? “ . . . until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.”
(Psalm 71:18) If we do this – trusting God
for deputation, for future babies, for our finances, etc. – even our daughters
may see God’s strength and His power in our lives.
In Psalm
71, David declares, “But I will hope continually . . .” Hope and not
fear! This is a SPIRITUAL resolve! Not a mustered-up will-power, but a
determination founded on the right things – God Himself, His Word, and the
power of God’s Holy Spirit.
Thinking on
these things, in recent months, I compiled a list before the Lord. This is from my heart, Ladies. This is my prayer:
·
I will hope that God will give us life and
not loss . . .
·
I will hope that we will be safe on the road
during deputation . . .
·
I will hope that we will raise the support
to go to Indonesia . . .
·
I will hope that my blood sugar issues
will not hinder us . . .
·
I will hope that we will still have
homeschooling and parenting successes, while on the road . . .
·
I will hope that our children will make
many friends all over the U.S. and the world . . .
·
I will hope that Brandon and I will stay
romantic and fiercely in love, amid the challenges . . .
·
I will hope for strength in my weakness,
peace in my fears, and victories on every side . . .
·
I will hope for good attitudes, gracious
words, and God-given opportunities to be witnesses of God’s love and of His
work in our lives . . .
·
I will hope that others will desire to
love and reach Muslims, because of God’s call on our lives . . .
And most recently . . .
·
I will hope that the flu leaves our
household very soon! SMILE!
With God’s help, “I will hope continually, and will yet praise . . . (Him) . . . more and more.”
And “I will go . . .” (71:15) I will go overseas with
the Gospel of Christ, because my hope is in Jesus Christ!
“For thou
art my hope, O LORD GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.” (71:5)
“ . . . God
hath chosen the foolish things
of the world to confound the wise; and God
hath chosen the weak things of
the world to confound the things which are mighty . . .” (I Corinthians 1:27)
“Therefore will
not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be
carried into the midst of the sea . . .” (Psalm 46:2)
I WILL hope . . . I WILL go . . . I WILL NOT fear . .
. Spiritual resolve and hopeful thinking . . .
We ALL need hope in our lives. “Happy is he . . . whose hope is in the LORD his God.”
(Psalm 146:5)
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