Audacity of Hope

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May 30, 2012

"Audacity of Hope"

Scripture Reading:
Romans 4:18  (HCSB) He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations ...

Devotional Reading:

I’m thankful that hope is so stubborn. If it wasn’t, I think I’d be a goner. Many times my circumstances have tempted me to throw in the towel, but each time I find hope popping to the surface and eventually taking over.  Oh, I’ve tried to resist. I’ve let discouraging thoughts smother the “noble, lovely and praiseworthy.” I’ve listened to the whispers of failure more times than I care to remember. I’ve allowed the voice of disappointment to become louder than a scream. But with the predictability of a Hallmark movie, I find that after all my rants and raves, hope stands there quietly waiting. She penetrates my protests with the undeniable assurance that it’s gonna be okay.  It’s a God thing, of course. Scripture compares hope to an anchor (Hebrews 6:19). It attaches us to what is really real, to what is solid. It causes hearts that would otherwise go adrift to dig in to the truth.  Abraham learned this truth about hope. Although he didn’t start out that way, he arrived at that place which required him to “hope against hope.” He had been given big promises — promises accompanied by big delays. These delays stretched him, pushed him to the edge, and disheartened him.  Proverbs 13:12 reminds us that, “hope deferred makes the heart sick.” But in spite of all the waffling doubts he kept hoping.  The stubborn nature of hope arose every time he looked at the brilliance of the night.  He must have seen God’s promise echoed in the sky. When he walked in the endless desert sand he was reminded that God said, “I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.” (Genesis 13:16) Whenever he heard his new name, “Abraham,” hope took him back to the time when God told him he would be the “father of many nations”. (Genesis 17:5) Hope bound him so tightly to the word of God that it yielded the indomitable substance we call faith.  It will do the same for us. So go ahead. Give in to the stubbornness of hope.

Keep the Son in your eyes,

Pastor Ben J Lahay

Galatians 2:20