Hope For The Future

For many people, the prospects of a new year being as challenging as this past year is upsetting. In fact, even some people who profess knowing God and following the Lord Jesus Christ are often found expressing more doubts and fears than hope and encouragement. The Bible is filled with answers to many examples of such a dilemma. The book of Isaiah is a good example. Look at these words of desperation with a perfect answer:

Isaiah 40:27–31 (ESV) — 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Notice first that God’s people felt things were so bad that they felt like God did not care. Sound familiar? How does God respond to such a complaint? He reminds them of His certainty for uncertain times, His understanding when there seems to be no answers, and His promise to provide just what we need for times in which we are living in order to keep pressing on and not give up.

Stop and consider the fact that God is the epitome of stability. Not only is He the creator of all things, He is called the “everlasting God,” He also does not faint or grow weary. We may, but He does not. Consider the similar thought in Psalm 121 and think of how important this reminder is when you face uncertain times.

Psalm 121:1–8 (ESV) — 1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

God is so much certainty to which we can turn in trouble that He is called “The Rock.”

Psalm 61:1–3 (ESV) — 1 Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; 2 from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, 3 for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

Psalm 62:1–2 (ESV) — 1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

Not only is God a place of certainty and stability but He has complete understanding of our situation – even better than we do.

Exodus 3:7 (ESV) — 7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings,

God tells Moses that He sees, He hears, and He also “knows” (feels with) their sufferings. Not only are we encouraged by the statement in Exodus but in the description of the sufferings of Christ and His faithfulness as our High Priest.

Isaiah 53:3 (ESV) — 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Hebrews 4:14–16 (ESV) — 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Not only is there encouragement based upon the stability and understanding that God provides day in and day out no matter what our circumstances, but God provides a specific promise to those who are facing the uncertainty of life: if they will but wait on Him, they will be able to rise above their problems like an eagle, they will be able to keep going day after day without growing weary, and they will be given the grace to not give up.

Remember when you deal with God’s promises that they are sure, so we are to believe because they are as certain as He is.

Titus 1:2 (ESV) — 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began

2 Corinthians 1:20 (ESV) — 20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

As we have lived through a year of uncertainty and the prospect of change for certainty does not look all that great for the future, rather than give in to the lack of hope, may we take the hope presented in God’s word and look to God as the only source of security and stability based upon Him. Look to Him knowing He sees, hears, and understands, and most of all grab hold of His promised grace and strength.

Godspeed,

Bob Brubaker