Hope is the antithesis of despair

They were his freinds. They had surrounded his when Saul sought to take his life but this was too much. The Amalekites had made a raid and in the process had burned the city they lived in and taken captive their wives and children.David's two wives had not escaped, they too were taken captive."And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him,because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters, But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God." 1 Samuel 30:6

I think this is what made David a man after God's heart. If David had only viewed this situation with earthly eyes he would have despaired but he chose instead to turn his focus onto God. Hope is a confident expectation of good. Hope is what I see when David wrote in Psalm 31:19,20 "Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! In the shelter of your presence you hide them ..."

Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, also knew what it was to comfort himself in the Lord his God. He wrote,"This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumes,because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:21-23

I heard a song this morning that captured this idea of comforting yourself in the Lord. Finding refuge in the shelter of His presence. It was written by Ellen L. Goreh.

In the secret of His presence how my soul delights to hide!
Oh, how precious are the lessons which I learn at Jesus’ side!
Earthly cares can never vex me, neither trials lay me low;
For when Satan comes to tempt me, to the secret place I go,
To the secret place I go.

When my soul is faint and thirsty, ’neath the shadow of His wing
There is cool and pleasant shelter, and a fresh and crystal spring;
And my Savior rests beside me, as we hold communion sweet:
If I tried, I could not utter what He says when thus we meet,
What He says when thus we meet.

Only this I know: I tell Him all my doubts, my griefs and fears;
Oh, how patiently He listens! and my drooping soul He cheers:
Do you think He ne’er reproves me? What a false Friend He would be,
If He never, never told me of the sins which He must see,
Of the sins which He must see.

Would you like to know the sweetness of the secret of the Lord?
Go and hide beneath His shadow: this shall then be your reward;
And whene’er you leave the silence of that happy meeting place,
You must mind and bear the image of the Master in your face,
Of the Master in your face.

Lord Jesus, this is what I want to do as well. I choose to hope and find my comfort in the shelter of Your presence.