August 9, 2020
Hope.
The Bible counts the generations between Abraham and King David, between King David and the Exile in Babylon, and the Exile in Babylon to Jesus. Each gap is fourteen generations long. Many of those generations involved pain and suffering, like the slavery in Egypt, and the wandering in the desert. But those gaps also involved perseverance, achievement, and hope.
Hope is something that doesn’t have to fall apart just because life around you seems to be out of control. When you look at the past, hundreds of years were spent waiting and anticipating a brighter future. There might be grief and sorrow now, but there are better things in the future. If you look at the news, there are plenty of reminders of bad things–and good things–happening in our world.
Everything that happens should remind you to keep your perspective. Don’t believe that everything is hopeless just because you’re going through hard times.
In the Message, Paul’s letter to the church in Rome reminds them that “the joyful anticipation deepens,” even in spite of “the present hard times” (Romans 8:18-21). Paul concludes the chapter, convinced that “absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love.” If you believe that too, then don’t give up!
We should take that reminder to heart, put our hope in Christ, and spread that hope wherever we can.