HOPE IN THIS WORLD - PART 2

Text: Joshua 1:9 (NKJV) “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Paul encourages us in Romans 5:1-5 (CSB) that we are a people of HOPE. Listen to God’s Word – “Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Emphasis added).

The circumstances around us can be frightening. They can be discouraging. They can be confusing. We may be overwhelmed. However, as Children of God, He wants us to trust Him. He wants us to have courage, faith, and HOPE.

So, how can we have hope when everything looks hopeless? In the midst of suffering, we can rejoice because these challenges cause us to do three very important things. We should be doing these daily, but we tend to forget.

So, today, we will pick up where we started on Wednesday – remembering how to be Hope in this World today.

The first thing we need to do is to Rely on God’s Presence. Go back and reread the first text today – Joshua 1:9 above.

See the circumstances – Moses is dead. Joshua has been picked to lead the nation of Israel into the Promised Land. Behind him was a giant of a man – Moses. In front of him a giant of a task – bringing the nation into the Promised Land. Think he might have felt a little inadequate? I believe as he was contemplating this assignment he was afraid, doubts, and a lack of confidence. So, God comes and speaks words of encouragement to him. He is talking to us today in the midst of this world upheaval.

When Paul encourages us to rejoice in suffering does not mean celebrating when bad news comes. But, it does mean that we can believe that God is doing a redemptive work.  This word “redemptive” means that God does not waste a hurt or disappointment. He is using them to shape and build us into the image of Jesus, which is his highest passion. (Read Romans 8:29)

When we go through suffering, we often pray and seek God more intensely than at other times. Some of my greatest times of growth have been when I’ve reached the end of my resources and all I have left is Jesus. God uses suffering to make us rely on His presence.

In Psalm 23:4, David writes that he does not fear because God is with him. He relies on God’s presence, and it brings him strength and comfort. Remember that for there to be a shadow, there has to be a light. I don’t know what your “valley of the shadow of death” is, but I do know who the Light is that is walking with you in that valley. That Light is Jesus.

In another Psalm, David reveals that one of the reasons for his joy is that he is forgiven: “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven whose sins are covered (Ps. 31:1, NIV). We don’t determine God’s love for us based on good or bad circumstances. We determine his love based on the Cross and what He did for us on it.

This didn’t start in a day, nor will the fear and panic stop in a day. As His Ambassadors to this world, we are being called about being the voice of reason, peace, and calmness. We need to be bearers of the Good News that we can Rely on God’s Presence even in the “shadows.” How can we be sure? Remember that we determine his love based on the Cross and what He did for us on it.

Join me in daily praying for God to intervene in this situation and bring out His purpose and plan for us and mankind. And now share with everyone you see that even in the shadow, we can rely on His Presence – the Light – Jesus.