April 25th Devotion
The Way to Have Hope – Alistair Begg
This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end. Lamentations 3:21-22
Where, ultimately, do you find your hope?
The exile in Babylon left the people of Israel without any hope. Everything that had been theirs—all that had brought them joy—had vanished, left far behind in Judah. Jeremiah expressed their common sentiment: “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the LORD” (Lamentations 3:18). Yet just a few verses letter, his tone completely changes: “This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope” (v 21). The circumstances hadn’t improved. Nothing had changed. So why the sudden positivity?
The answer is simple: because of faith.
Christianity is about history. It’s about reality. It’s about real people in real time having real encounters with a real God. It’s not fiction. And so it makes a real difference.
No one’s experience of this life is marked only by great seasons of joy and triumph. Difficulties confront us with our finitude. Our loved ones die, marriages disintegrate even when we’ve done our best to sustain them, our health proves frail, and our failures from the past arise like demons in the night.
So what do we need to do when we encounter life’s difficulties? We need to do what Jeremiah does! He starts with his faith—with what he believes about God—and he thinks. He brings his mind to bear upon his feelings—and so must we. In our trials, we must remember who God is and then bring our honest petitions before Him. You can pray, “Gracious God, You made me. You love me in Jesus. You’ve promised that You’ll hold me fast. I’m not feeling very secure right now, Lord, but I also know what Your word says: that Your steadfast love never ceases and Your mercies never come to an end.”
In the midst of triumphs and trials alike, here is what can give you stability: that God’s steadfast love and mercies toward you will never expire. Rest secure in this, then: that though all hell may be let loose against you, the Lord God omnipotent reigns, and He does so perfectly, with love and mercy. He will accomplish His purposes. Nothing can stand in His way. Call to mind these truths in the day of trouble and you can live with an unassailable hope in your heart and remain firm in your faith to the end.
This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end. Lamentations 3:21-22
Where, ultimately, do you find your hope?
The exile in Babylon left the people of Israel without any hope. Everything that had been theirs—all that had brought them joy—had vanished, left far behind in Judah. Jeremiah expressed their common sentiment: “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the LORD” (Lamentations 3:18). Yet just a few verses letter, his tone completely changes: “This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope” (v 21). The circumstances hadn’t improved. Nothing had changed. So why the sudden positivity?
The answer is simple: because of faith.
Christianity is about history. It’s about reality. It’s about real people in real time having real encounters with a real God. It’s not fiction. And so it makes a real difference.
No one’s experience of this life is marked only by great seasons of joy and triumph. Difficulties confront us with our finitude. Our loved ones die, marriages disintegrate even when we’ve done our best to sustain them, our health proves frail, and our failures from the past arise like demons in the night.
So what do we need to do when we encounter life’s difficulties? We need to do what Jeremiah does! He starts with his faith—with what he believes about God—and he thinks. He brings his mind to bear upon his feelings—and so must we. In our trials, we must remember who God is and then bring our honest petitions before Him. You can pray, “Gracious God, You made me. You love me in Jesus. You’ve promised that You’ll hold me fast. I’m not feeling very secure right now, Lord, but I also know what Your word says: that Your steadfast love never ceases and Your mercies never come to an end.”
In the midst of triumphs and trials alike, here is what can give you stability: that God’s steadfast love and mercies toward you will never expire. Rest secure in this, then: that though all hell may be let loose against you, the Lord God omnipotent reigns, and He does so perfectly, with love and mercy. He will accomplish His purposes. Nothing can stand in His way. Call to mind these truths in the day of trouble and you can live with an unassailable hope in your heart and remain firm in your faith to the end.
Posted in Devotions
Recent
Archive
2024
January
December 31st follow-upJanuary 1st DevotionJanuary 2nd DevotionJanuary 3rd DevotionJanuary 4th DevotionJanuary 5th DevotionJanuary 7th Follow-upJanuary 8th DevotionJanuary 9th DevotionJanuary 10th DevotionJanuary 11th DevotionJanuary 12th DevotionJanuary 14th Follow-upJanuary 15th DevotionJanuary 16th DevotionJanuary 17th DevotionJanuary 18th DevotionJanuary 19th DevotionJanuary 21st follow-upJanuary 22nd DevotionJanuary 23rd DevotionJanuary 24th DevotionJanuary 25th DevotionJanuary 26th Devotion1-28-24 follow-upJanuary 29th DevotionJanuary 30th DevotionJanuary 31st Devotion
February
February 1st DevotionFebruary 2nd DevotionFebruary 5th DevotionFebruary 4th Follow-upFebruary 6th DevotionFebruary 7th DevotionFebruary 8th DevotionFebrtuary 9th DevotionFebruary 11th Follow-upFebruary 12th DevotionFebruary 13th DevotionFebruary 14th DevotionFebruary 15th DevotionFebruary 16th DevotionFebruary 19th DevotionFebruary 20th DevotionFebruary 21st DevotionFebruary 22nd DevotionFebruary 23rd DevotionFebruary 26th DevotionFebruary 27th DevotionFebruary 28th DevotionFebruary 29th Devotion
March
March 1st DevotionMarch 3rd follow-upMarch 4th DevotionMarch 5th DevotionMarch 6th DevotionMarch 7th, 2024March 8th DevotionMarch 11th DevotionMarch 12th DevotionMarch 13th DevotionMarch 14th DevotionMarch 15th DevotionMarch 18th DevotionMarch 19th DevotionMarch 20th devotionMarch 21st DevotionMarch 22nd DevotionMarch 25th DevotionMarch 26th DevotionMarch 27th DevotionMarch 28th DevotionMarch 29th Devotion
April
April 1str DevotionApril 2nd DevotionApril 3rd DevotionApril 4th DevotionApril 5th DevotionApril 8th DevotionApril 9th DevotionApril 10th DevotionApril 11th DevotionApril 12th DevotionApril 15th DevotionApril 16th DevotionApril 17th DevotionApril 18th DevotionApril 19th DevotionApril 22nd devotionApril 23rd DevotionApril 24th DevotionApril 25th DevotionApril 26th DevotionApril 29th DevotionApril 30th Devotion
No Comments