TRUE HOPE
Psalms 62:5
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
The first night of the hunt a great buck came out into the field... just out of range of my muzzleloader. The next night we set up closer to the area he had come out. We had tremendous hope that he would arrive just before dark. We sat until it was too dark to shoot and left with hope for the next day, the last day of the hunt.
The following day we again hunted with great hope... yet we never did see a really big buck. Right before dark I took a nice 8 point buck. However the one I really wanted never showed again. All this being said, I have hope for the next time I hunt that state and that property.
Hope is a wonderful thing. Without hope we really have a miserable life. Just this morning on the news I saw that there are thousands of central Americans coming towards our southern border, looking for "hope". Unfortunately, no matter how hard we try, when we put our hope in anything in this world, whether it be individuals, the medical professionals, our government or even a Marvel superhero... we will end up disappointed.
There is only one true hope in this world, that's the hope in an all-powerful, all-loving God.
There is an old hymn that says, "My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood, my righteousness.". If we put our hope in anything else, we will be disappointed and we will find a world of hopelessness.
There is great comfort in hope in this life. But what about when we leave this world? There are billions of people that have no hope whatsoever when this life ends. I can understand why depression is such a problem for our world.
The best selling writer and world famous speaker, Max Lucado once said, "One of the greatest gifts we can give people is the hope that their death is nothing to fear - you know, not that it has no fear in it, but the promise of scripture is that God will lead us through the valley of the shadow of death."
One other hymn says what I feel about hope for my life.
"I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I'd rather be his than have riches untold
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or land
Yes I'd rather be led by his nail pierced hands."
There is only one way to escape a fear in death, that is to know Jesus personally and have a relationship with Him. With a confidence in what comes after this earthly life, we can be totally without fear of death.
I saw in my dad an excitement for what came after this life here on earth... There was no fear, just an anticipation to get to heaven and see his Savior. As he neared death the anticipation, not the fear continued to build.
I pray that all of my friends and family will have that excitement and assurance.
THAT IS TRUE HOPE
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