Therefore, I Have Hope!

"When we have struggles in this life, just knowing that God has a plan that is for our good can give us hope for the future."  - Crystal McDowell

The world is struggling through a grave crisis at this moment. The loss of human life, livelihood, security, and to some extent, freedom, has shaken the core of everything we had known only a short time ago.

Uncertainty lies heavily on every mind, and rightly so. There is, however, one thing we can count on with reasonable certainty: when all of this is over, the world will be changed. How different will it be, no one can say for sure. But change is coming.

You could compare this to how it must have felt for the followers of Christ who had watched Him tried, beaten, then die on the Cross. To put this into modern terms, they must have felt like it was time to "turn out the lights because the party's over."

Due to the horrific and lightning fast chain of events, Jesus' disciples had little time to think (Matthew 25:56; Mark 14:50). Keeping low profiles, they hunkered down until they could figure out their next move.

In all honesty, the disciples were just plain scared. A large part of this was because they didn't understand when Jesus was telling them what would happen to Him (Mark 9:31). And they were probably too embarrassed to ask (Mark 9:32).

In addition, maybe they felt somewhat disappointed because Jesus' arrest meant that their hopes of overcoming the Roman government and installing a new kingdom were now dashed, along with their own futures.

It's not too difficult to see that we are in a similar situation today. Our planet is reeling from a pandemic and no one is totally certain about how it will all turn out. We're all feeling the same sense of loss, fear, and anxiety about what lies ahead.

Most of us live in the present, giving little thought about tomorrow. Think about how strange it must have felt for the disciples to hear Jesus talk about dying and then coming back to life (Luke 13:33; Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:22; Mark 8:31).

But as Proverbs 23:18 (ESV) tells us, "...there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off." It is important that we try to "be strong and courageous" (Deuteronomy 31:6) even though every fiber of our being is strained to do so.

Many are wondering how they will pay bills, keep their homes, and feed their families. But we must remember that our lives here are not guaranteed, even in the best of times. We must also consider that for millions around the world this is their normal.

I do not know how dire your personal situation is, or how great your need. What I can tell you is that God will supply what He thinks we need. He is a glorious giver. And there is nothing too big to ask of Him (Philippians 4:19).

By His mercy and grace the world and life will continue on. If Jesus' resurrection has taught us anything at all, it proves that He will not forsake or desert us, especially when we need Him most (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Scripture: Jeremiah 17:7; Psalm 33:22; Titus 2:13; Mark 9:23; Micah 7:7

Prayer: Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed. Amen.  - Psalm 119:116

May God bless you,

Lainey