Jeremiah 29:11 AMPC
For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.
This precious verse has spoken into my life at many different junctures when I've been tempted to despair.
Hope is like an anchor which we throw out of the "boat" of our lives, something to hold us firm when everything is in turmoil.
The trouble is that there is so much false hope which cannot hold us secure in the storms we face.
We can hope in our savings or pensions, but they can be stripped away by an economic crash.
We can hope in our intellect, but that can be snatched away by time or diseases.
We can hope in our family or friends, but they can hurt or betray us unexpectedly.
We can hope in our spouse or partner, but we can lose them through death or divorce.
Some put their hope in science, but there are so many dissenting voices and it is always in a state of flux.
We can hope in politicians , but they have "feet of clay"!
We can put our hope in ourselves, thinking we are invincible - time will eventually show that this is false.
We can hope in ideology or religious activity, this too, is a cul de sac, a dead end!
There is only one place where our "anchor" can be permanently fixed and that is in Jesus.
I remember countless times over the years when my team has been losing in a cup final. In particular, 1971 springs to mind. Arsenal went one down in extra time. Dad got up and went out in the garden. He thought it was game over. I stayed watching in hope. When Charlie George scored and the whistle went, I was so glad that I didn't give up hope of the final outcome.
It's a silly illustration, I know, but I use it to point out the value of holding onto hope.
We need to ensure that we fix our hope on the Rock of Ages, our Lord Jesus Christ. He has proved by defeating Death and rising from the grave, that He is the One who can bring each of us HOPE in our final outcome.
Hebrews 6:19 AMPC
[Now] we have this [hope] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whoever steps out upon it-a hope] that reaches farther and enters into [the very certainty of the Presence] within the veil, where Jesus has entered in for us [in advance], a Forerunner having become a High Priest forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.
Share this lovely old hymn with me:
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