HOPE OVERFLOWING

Matthew 12:21

And in His name the Gentiles will hope.

In the Philippines, hope is a cigarette brand. And a lot of men and women have really put their “hope” on this worthless vice – hoping that I would sleep soundly tonight, hoping that it will take away my problem, hoping that it will soothe away the anger that I feel. Most of us have place our lives on things that is of this world – hoping that it will make us happy and rich. And yet, through it all, the fact still remain that we cannot be really happy. Fear and feeling of unworthiness could still reign in our hearts. We get tired and get weary and wanting to give up. That is because we failed to recognize the True Hope in our lives – no other that the Lord, our God.

Our hope for the future is rooted in a conviction about God's character. It is because of God's tender mercies that we find it possible to hope. Because God's character - tender and full of mercy - the sun will rise, and we would welcome that brand new day, full of hope and optimism. We can anticipate good things because God is a good and loving God.

Sometimes hope fails us because of the pain of present circumstances. We find ourselves unable to focus on a hope-full future because we cannot see beyond the burdens of the present. But we need hope in order to continue the journey. Without hope there is only the despair that comes when we think nothing will ever change. We need to remind ourselves regularly, therefore, that God's vision for the future is better than our own.

God has been clear about His plans for us. It is God's intention to give us a hope and a future. This is not a promise of a trouble-free life. It is not a promise of immunity from struggle. But it is a promise of hope. God has been with us in the past. God is with us in the present. And God will be with us in the future. Return to God as our source of hope, and God will remind us that his plans for us are good.

Almighty Father, thank you for paying attention to my future. Thank you for making plans. Help me today to rest in the thought that your plans for me include blessing and a very wonderful life with You. Open my heart today to the hope and the future you have prepared for me. By the power of the Holy Spirit, cause me to overflow with hope. Amen +

You do see, for You behold misery and sorrow, taking them in Your hands.