We have had several almost discussions about the importance of Hope in the Christian life. Almost discussions because we have neither defined nor clearly articulated what hope is in the context of our lives. I really felt the lack in our discussion last week, when we spent our time looking at the connection between Psalm 72 and Christ and didn't go into the application of it at all. Christ as King! What must that mean to us, and what impact will it have in our lives as we totally embrace and internalize that truth?
Let's start at the end; the Revelation passage that was the final reference from our study guide. "After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one cold count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'" Re. 7:9-10
This is the end we're looking forward to. If our hope doesn't internalize that ending, believe it in our innermost being, we will always have a hard time with this middle part of life! God is working a well orchestrated plan, even when it seems like chaos to us, that will end up with all of us before the throne worshiping the Lamb. There is no doubt about that. There where eternity will truly begin.
If you're in Psalm 77 this week you will see these astounding questions: "Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?" Define unfailing. How could something unfailing ever fail? What does the word promise mean, after all?
I'm reminded of this matter of fact reminder from Hebrews 6:13-15: "When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, 'I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.' And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised." Duh.. He received what was promised. Was there ever another option?
[And knowing what we know about Abraham, do we appreciate the author's perspective that Abraham waited patiently....at least a s patiently as we do!]
The entire book of Hebrews is dedicated to convincing us that what God has promised will happen. So how do we become convinced? [Being convinced is very different than wishing and often even very different than the way we use the word hope.]
I believe our ability to navigate life is proportionate to what we KNOW about what God has done and is doing in our lives and how we KNOW him. I don't think I can emphasize that enough. Do you know God and his plan well enough to survive whatever life throws at you? Don't wait until you're in the middle of a crisis to find out. Build that hope, that certain belief, now.
And indeed, that's why you're in Bible studies. You want to find out about God and his plan. My encouragement to you is to make that finding out as concrete as you possibly can. Move what you wish and think about God into what you know and believe to be true of him.
How? The identity stuff from Andersen that Carolyn brought Tuesday is an example of concrete things to know. Memorized verses are an example of concrete things to know. Knowing where the passages are that expound on the person and work of God is an example of concrete things to know. Do you know God well enough to trust him? That isn't as rhetorical as you might think.
I have known God since I was a little girl; I was in church every time the door was open. We were a Christian family. I was involved in ministry in college and in church music from eternity past... One day I got a call from my sister-in-law that her husband, my brother, had been arrested for molesting my niece, their daughter.
My knowledge and understanding of God did not have a niche for that. Hopefully none of you will ever experience that, but life, even the Christian life, is lived in the valley of the shadow of death. Stuff happens.
After that phone call my life went from bad to worse for about the next 5 years. What I knew and believed about God was totally inadequate and often even wrong! I had to throw out everything I thought I knew about God and build a hope based on truth. In fact, I began with only one thing that I truly knew. God is here. That was it. He is here.
And from that point on I began to build a knowledge of God based on only what I knew from scripture to be true... no more wishful thinking for me. That's the kind of knowledge of God you need to be building now... before the world pulls the rug out from under you.
Psalm 72 ended with the beautiful verses, "Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory." That is truly beautiful..... but meaningless if you haven't actually learned the amazing things he's done. Hollow if you haven't glimpsed his Glory. Empty, in the face of life's tragedies, unless your hope is a solid rock.
