Faith and Hope

          We are living in uncertain days for sure. The current conditions have been labeled as being “unprecedented.” That word has been used a lot lately and is almost worn out as people try to explain what has happened when the world, not only our country, by the whole world has been put on “lock down.” Borders are closed, people are wearing masks and everyone seems to be staying away from each other. We have always looked at Second Timothy 3:1-5 as listing the conditions that will exist during the last days. Well, we have long been in that mode and just when we thought things couldn't get any worse, it did. The world, which has been accustomed to being entertained finds itself in a condition where it has to entertain itself. Everyone seems to have their own view on what took place and who is responsible, if anyone is in particular. So what? Where do you find hope when you are uncertain about the future? As always, the Word of God has the answer just as it always does. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

          Hebrews eleven has long been associated with the list of people who practiced faith in their spiritual lives. Noah built a boat when there was no place to float it. He was mocked for his endeavor until it started really raining hard for a long time. Abraham pulled up stakes, literally, and headed for a place he didn't have any idea where it was located just because God told him to do it. Moses had a long list of endeavors in which He had to have faith in God that things were going to work out as God wanted them to work out. We have probably read and reread the chapter over and over in our lives and know full well that God provided in each and every case in ways that were right up there with the classification of being supernatural, divine, yes, miracles. Time and time again God provided with miracles like the ark, the Red Sea, the water from the rock the battle on Mount Carmel, the floating axe head and the raising of the dead. Have we forgotten what happened on a certain Sunday morning so many years ago? The crucified, dead an buried Savior rose from the dead and death had been conquered forever. Every believer now has the hope of eternal life based on that even on that day when the world saw the empty tomb. Auca witnesses to the slaying of five missionaries in Equador heard "angelic voices" singing in the trees as the missionaries were killed. George Mueller prayed a blessing when there was no food on the table, heard a knock at the door and found the food. Where do we find hope for the new conditions that prevail in our land today? We find it where we have always found it, in the Word of God. We can simply say, God is faithful. We can echo the words of Jeremiah and say, "Great is Thy Faithfulness..." even in the midst of a destroyed Jerusalem. God was faithful then and He is faithful now, so never lose heart in what He does in your life and in the lives of every one of His children. Praise God today that He is the Only One Who can provide hope for all of the tomorrows in our lives up to and including the day we will all stand before Him and find ourselves face to face with Christ our Savior.