Hope is Eternal (Monday Morning Devotion - Week 4)
Many of our Native brothers and sisters live without the hope. This lack of hope covers them with a darkness that infiltrates their whole life. (You can read more about it here.)
But before we are able to share the hope we have in Jesus, we need to understand exactly what we have, what it means, and how we live because of it.
Join us in these 6 weeks after Easter with “What is Hope?”
Need to start at the beginning? Read Week 1 here.
Read: John 14:1-3 & Romans 8:18 & Luke 2:1-7
Ever heard the phrase, “Don’t sweat the small stuff”?
Some days that’s easier to remember than others. When one child melts down in the grocery store over a pack of candy, it’s a lot easier to keep your cool than when two are crying and flailing uncontrollably. When your boss hands you one urgent task, it’s easier to stay calm than when you’re hit with three work emergencies at once.
For followers of Jesus, it is possible to take comfort in the midst of anxiety. In John 14:1-3, we’re told that what we experience on earth is not the end. Jesus is coming back for us, and the hurt we experience in this life will feel like a vapor compared to the joy and peace we experience in eternity with Him. The hope we have in Jesus extends far beyond the relational heartbreak, financial stress, and overwhelming jobs we experience every day.
When Jesus comes back, our hope will be complete and fulfilled. We don’t have to live in fear because Jesus already died on the cross, rose from the dead, and conquered fear. The peace we’ll experience in eternity with Jesus is going to be so much greater than the worries we experience today. Thinking about His eternal hope doesn’t change our circumstances, but it does change our perspective of what’s happening here and now.
When our hope in God’s promises determines our actions, faith grows. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
At times, we feel the uncertainty of uneven, rocky roads. We may even feel like we’re on a journey that seems impossible. Hope is what allows us to persevere through the fear and the pain. And hope is more powerful than any uphill journey we face today.
(These devotions are based on: “Hope is” created by NewSpring Church)