January 10, 2022

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.  Romans 15:4

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy. Psalm 33:18

Hope is a powerful facet of God’s gift of life. Without it, mental health ventures toward a precarious imbalance. Genuine hope is buoyed by a fear (true reverence) of God. Hope and the fear of God are two aspects of our thinking that must go together in healthy balance.

Being a disciple of the Lord means being a willing participant in a perpetual learning process, building on foundational truths. The Word of God has its origin in the mind of God. Therein lies the source of the wonderful, exquisite balance contained in the Scriptures. While we need frequent warnings regarding our general human disposition toward sin, the Lord steadily assures us of His presence, guidance, and tender compassion, keeping hope alive. It is in this frame of balance that His Holy Spirit can address specific sins in my life. If I am to be sanctified, I will not only accept what He is telling me, I will endeavor at once to make the needed adjustments, in the strength that His Spirit of grace generously supplies.

If my sense of hope is fading, I must ask the Lord to show me—again—the thing that needs my attention, and then act upon it immediately, in holy fear and gratitude for His mercy. Failure to move forward on this point will have its inevitable dimming effect on my awareness of His love for me and the path He desires to illumine.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13