My Dad asked me to sign the books he'd bought. I decided to use a verse out of Romans that says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him." As I wrote this verse out over and over the truth of what it was saying began to sink into my heart. Romans also says that we hope for things that we can't see yet, things yet to be. Again in Romans 8:18 it says, "For I consider that sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be reveals to us." It is such a blessing when the God of hope invites us in the middle of our suffering to trust in Him and then because we have chosen to be sure of what we hope for and confident about what we can't see He fills us with "all joy and peace."
I have seen how God transformed the difficult times of King David's life into Palms of joy and peace. David looked beyond what his mortal eyes could see and with eyes of hope this is what he saw when his enemies perused him and he called out to the LORD for help. "He parted the heavens and came down, a dark cloud beneath His feet. He rode on a cherub and flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. He made darkness a canopy around Him, a gathering of water and thick clouds. From the radiance of His presence, flaming coal were ignited. The LORD thundered from heaven; the Most High projected His voice."(2 Samuel 22:7-16) David was strong and courageous and also experienced joy and peace because he had chosen to anchor his life in the Most High God and trust in his promises.
The blessing in Romans that talks about the God of hope giving us joy and peace as we trust in Him also says, "so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." I have to pause here and let this sink in. It is not by my own determination that I take hold of hope and choose to live my life accordingly. No, it is because of the power of the Holy Spirit. As I read through the life of David I see the evidence of God first anointing and then sustaining David with hope through the trails of his life.
"LORD, You are my lamp; the LORD illuminates my darkness." (2 Samuel 22:29) I think this is what hope did in David's life. He had been anointed to be the King and yet he was being hunted down by Saul. David was betrayed and outnumbered by his enemies but because he trusted in God's promises that he didn't see and yet believed the LORD illuminated his darkness. This is how I want to live my life too.
Lord, thank You for being the light that illuminates my darkness as I put my trust in You. Thank You for the joy and peace I find as I hope in Your promises. I pray also that by the power of Your Holy Spirit I may abound in hope!
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