Devotions By Jan

Category Archives: Hope


by Leave a comment

Plenty of Fish

Scripture for Today: Psalm 119:116 “Sustain me, my God, according to Your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed.”

“There are plenty of fish in the sea,” is a phrase often used to console those who have loved and lost.  The idea is that there are plenty of potential mates still to be discovered out there.  There is even an online dating service called, “Plenty of Fish,” with 40 million fish in its waters.  The problem comes from those “predators” who raise hopes in others only to dash them.  One predator in particular decided to dine and dash, leaving his online date stuck with the bill!

Today’s verse is found in the longest psalm extolling the joys of knowing and following God’s law.  The author prays that God would sustain him.  He acknowledges that true meaningful life is found in following God’s ways.  He can pray for God’s sustaining power with hope as it is a prayer calling on the Lord’s promises.  When God makes a promise, He will always be true to His word.  Hope placed here will not be dashed.

If I were to place all my hope exclusively in human love, my hopes would sometimes be dashed.  No one can love me the way the Lord does.  Placing my hope in His promise to never leave me is a hope that will never be disappointed.  He sustains me when I am feeling weak.  He upholds me when I am discouraged.  His peace has kept me close to Him.  No other relationship can be this consistent.  His love will never let me down.  I can always count on Him because His word means something!

Thank you Lord, that with You my hope is never disappointed.


by Leave a comment

The Hope Chest

Scripture for Today:Romans 5:5 “And hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

I never owned a hope chest, although I hoped!  It was a tradition that was already obsolete by the 1950’s.  The practice of filling a hope chest with items useful in setting up house came from Europe around the 18th century.  A young girl’s “trousseau” consisted of handmade bed linens, table linens and embroidered items.  I often wondered what happened to that hope chest and its contents when it was clear that marriage had passed one by.  Perhaps giving it away signaled the end of hope.

Today speaks of a hope that never puts us to shame.  Unlike unfulfilled hope in a human love, our hope is placed in a love that has already been poured into the heart of a believer.  The Holy Spirit is our seal of ownership, guaranteeing what is to come! (II Cor. 1:22).  Hope in this sense is a sure thing with no possibility of disappointment or shame.  This hope grows stronger and stronger as we see the Lord come through for us when experiencing suffering (verse 3).  Hope grows by persevering through that impossible situation.  Our hope is obvious to everyone through the strength of character that comes from hanging in there (verse 4).

Hope that is ill-placed is wishful thinking that makes the heart sick when unfulfilled (Prov. 13:12).  My hope is sure being based on God’s faithful promises.  My longing for love is absolutely fulfilled in my relationship with my Creator.  He never disappoints and I am never put to shame.  He always comes through and someday I will see the glory of God up close and personal!

My hope will forever be in You, Lord.

 


by 1 Comment

Wishful Thinking

2014-05-07 14.04.18Scripture for Today: Jeremiah 29:11 “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”

How can one visit Rome without seeing the famous Trevi Fountain?  Sculpted in 1762, it was built as an outlet for an ancient aqueduct.  This Baroque fountain with its figure of Neptune is touted to be the largest and most famous fountain.  And yes, I did the tourist thing.  Like so many others, I threw a coin in with my right hand over my left shoulder!  The original tradition involved drinking the fountain water to insure good fortune and a return to Rome.  But today it is coin tossing that is said to guarantee a return.  Since the 1954 film, “Three Coins in a Fountain” one coin does not suffice.  Now it is expected to throw in that second coin to get me a new and exciting romance, and a third coin to lead to marriage. But I couldn’t get my husband to hand me more than one coin!!

Our verse for today speaks of hope.  Hope in Scripture is not just wishful thinking.  That is because the object of our hope is something sure.  We are to hope in His Word (Psalm 130:5) as well as His unfailing love (Psalm 147:11).  Hope like that does not disappoint.  But hope in anything else has the potential to disappoint.

The Lord has plans for me.  He has my future in His powerful and loving hands.  He promises blessing for obedience.  I cannot possibly know what is ahead but with hope I am confident that it is all good.  It is amazing to me that He loves me enough to plan it all out.

Thank you Lord, that my hope is in You, and You never disappoint.

Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.


by Leave a comment

Alpine Horns

Scripture for Today: Psalm 98:5-6 “Make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn – shout for joy before the Lord, the King.”

These long alpine horns are quite impressive.  The longer they are the more difficult they are to play as there are no finger buttons or piston valves.  It can only produce simple sounds by vibrating lips at the mouthpiece.  I tried blowing on one once and the resulting blast was anything but musical!

The alpine horn in the pastures was used to call in the cows, calm them down for milking and quiet them down for the night.  But like the ram’s horn in our verse, it was used in times past as an important signaling device, calling men to war.  The ram’s horn was an important part of many battles, including the famous Battle of Jericho.

Our verse for today is a celebration of joy, announcing God’s salvation and righteousness.  This music is celebrating God’s love and faithfulness.  These sounds together are jubilant and loud, including blasts and shouting!  It is a new song sung when the Lord comes to judge the earth.  Who is making this music?  The context says all the earth!  These instruments are accompanied by rivers clapping and mountains singing!  It will not only be a new song but a new sound; announcing the coming of righteousness and justice.

The only way I can participate in this celebration of coming justice is by being forgiven and receiving God’s grace.  I do not anticipate that future day with fear and trembling.  That is because I am His own and covered by His righteousness!  My King will establish justice and right all wrongs!

Lord, make this day a day of  joyful rehearsal!

Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.

 

 


by Leave a comment

The Wishbone

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

As the youngest child in my family, I was enthusiastic about any tradition that might give me an edge over my three siblings!  This old superstition says that whoever ends up with the largest part of the bird’s “wishbone” when pulled apart, can make a wish that will surely come true.  As I did not become the richest person in the world, this belief is officially debunked!  However, one can always hope!

According to our verse for today, hope that is not fulfilled can make a heart sick.  To continually hope in something that is not to happen is just sad.  Barring divine intervention, a sterile woman may never give birth, a hoped-for reconciliation may never take place and world peace may never become a reality.  Hoping that has nothing to recommend it but wishful thinking is a flimsy hope.

What a contrast it is to have a solid hope.  Flimsy wishful thinking does not resemble in the least the sure hope we have in God’s promises.  This kind of hope never makes our hearts sick.  There will one day be a time when this hope is fulfilled.  A tree of life awaits us in Paradise (Rev. 22:1-2).  Every desire will be realized.  There will no longer be any need to hope.  Hopes will be fulfilled.

My heart can be sickly if I am hoping in the wrong things.  But when my hope is firmly place in God, the God of hope, my heart becomes strong and courageous! (Psalm 31:24)  He never disappoints.  He never goes back on His promises.  He Himself is the fulfillment of all my hope.

Regardless of what this day brings Lord, keep my heart strong, hoping in You.

Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.