— From the distaff side —

Hope in God

Hope is the expectation of good and in the Christian sense, the joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation.  It gives a mold for faith to fill (Heb 11:1-3).  King David describes hope’s crucial importance: "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living" —?Ps 27:13.  To faint (despair) is to be spiritless, wearied out, exhausted, utterly at loss and destitute of strength or resources — even to the point of renouncing all hope.  Without faith’s anchor of hope, the Christian is like a ship adrift at sea (Heb 6:17-19).  A very dangerous condition.

In the midst of long-standing difficulties or unanswered prayers, have you too heard the devil’s mocking questions: "Hath God said?" (Gen 3:1) or, "Where is thy God?" (Ps 42:3).  These corrosive queries are deadly spiritual weapons intended to steal and destroy a believer’s hope in God, to make faith ineffective (Eph 6:10-18).  Left unchallenged by prayer and scriptural weaponry, doubt and unbelief can take root.  These can lead to hopelessness and render a Christian powerless.  Vulnerable as well.

Psalm 42 portrays just an onslaught.  King David had to battle this, Where is thy God? gambit (the devil’s wiles don’t change).  He resists the hopelessness and despair trying to engulf him by recalling joyous times of worship and of God’s mighty works (v 4,6).  He actually takes his soul to task, scolding and exhorting it as he prays: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God" — 42:11.  Weak as he is, he acknowledges Yahweh as the source of his salvation and victory — and as his God.  He nourishes hope with truth.

When our own hope takes wings and despair descends as a dark cloud, we should do likewise — pray and do some serious soul-talk.  Jesus exhorts: "men ought always to pray, and not to faint" — Lu 18:1.  God’s love and mercy assures: "He hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard" — Ps 22:24.  Remember the good times, God’s Word, His past works in your life; His power and goodness.  Declare Who He is and confirm Christ in you.  Thank and praise Him!  He will be your shield, the glory and the lifter of your head (Ps 3:3).  Hope and faith will rise in your spirit.  I pray "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" — Ro 15:13.   — D.

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