Scripture to reflect upon
- Isa 40:31,
- Rom 15:13,
- Job 11:18-19,
- Rom 8:24-25,
Devotional thought
Let’s begin this Advent season by looking at the virtue of Hope!
“Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air…but only for one second without hope.”
― Hal Lindsey
Hope is a longing for something that we do not yet see, according to Romans 8:24-25. If we hope for Christ, we will eagerly wait for Him! Just like the Israelites thousands of years ago were waiting for their Messiah to show up, we are now waiting for His return. Not only that, but we are waiting to see Him at work in our lives today through faith!
Our security is rooted in hope! The hope of a Savior. The hope of Jesus Christ! I hope that you have this security in your life today! If you will just ask Jesus to come into your life and to be the Lord of your life, then you too will experience a hope that you have never experienced before! It is truly amazing to know that there is hope for tomorrow, regardless of the situation we are in today!
Hope is an indispensable virtue to have in this life! There are so many that are living without hope for tomorrow, let alone for eternity. I feel so sorry for people who do not feel hopeful, because hope is available in Jesus! He is our living hope!
See, before Christ came into the world the people of Israel were hoping for their Messiah. They longed for the Christ to come and establish His reign as ruler. He was going to deliver them from all that oppressed them physically! Unfortunately, they mostly thought of this as a physical thing and missed the spiritual implication of the Messiah’s deliverance!
Jesus came to deliver us from hopelessness, spiritual blindness, separation from God, sin’s penalty and power, and any other powers of darkness in the heavenly realms! He replaced fear with faith, He destroyed the power of death and gave everyone hope to overcome its power in His name!
Scripture to Reflect Upon
Here are a few Scripture verses that might be great to write down and memorize this week in regard to hope as well:
- “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:31
- “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13
- ”You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. “ – Job 11:18-19
Prayer
Dear God of Hope. Thank You for providing me hope today in Christ. Thank You for giving me a living hope into Christ’s resurrection and power. I love You Lord and look for You at work in my life. I look for the advent of hope in every situation I face today. I trust You, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
