September 12

                               

               Joy in Hope

Luke 2:34

Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary,

the baby's mother, “This child will be rejected by

many in Israel, and it will be their undoing.  But

He will be the greatest joy for many others.”  (NLT)

     Our Lord God, Jesus Christ, is not only the Greatest Joy we have in this dark and dying world, but He is also the only Hope we have.  Jesus is the joy that our human hearts long.  And we will never experience this True Joy if we reject Him to love this world that hates His very Name. Without this Joy living in our hearts and directing our lives, there is no real hope in this life or for the next—only false hope that is both deceiving and deadly. Without the Joy of the Lord this difficult life always gives us a false sense of security, is always lived in vain, and ends in eternal damnation. I know firsthand that living this life without the gift of salvation as your hope, will leave you hopeless and desperate for anything that would ease the pain and numb the hopelessness. Most people are searching for that one ray of light that would lead them out of the dark hopelessness that is consuming their lives—one ray of hope that would bring comfort to their fearful hearts and some much-needed peace about this difficult life-journey we don't ask for. There is no one, nor is there anything from this flawed and wicked world that can satisfy the longings and joy we were created with. 

     Only the Living God can satisfy the longings we have for love, an eternal future, and the kind of lasting joy that would make this difficult life worth living.  Nothing in the physical realm of this fallen world is able to give us anything that is lasting; only fleeting moments of happiness that quickly dissipate when the rush ends.  This decaying world and all who belong to it will one day disappear, and it is only through the death and resurrection of our Lord God and Savior, Jesus Christ, that you are promised a new and perfect life in the new Heaven and Earth that will follow.  When you have the hope of a perfect eternal life, you have everything to look forward to and nothing to lose. When you know that your sins are forgiven and justified by the death of our Savior, you receive the Greatest Joy possible.  Without the Lord Jesus there is no hope and no joy, my friend, only fear of what tomorrow may bring and dreading another day of futile living.

                                   A Whisper of Hope

Come to Me, My child… and I will give you the Everlasting Hope that brings a joy you have never known.  Don’t look to the world for hope, because it has none.  Don’t look to the world for joy, for it’s not there.  Your only joy is through the Hope you have in Me, your only Savior. 

Psalm 146:3-5

Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no hope for

you there.  When their breathing stops, they return to the earth,

and in a moment all their plans come to an end.  But happy are

those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in

the LORD their God. (NLT)

                       Don’t be dejected and sad, 

        for the joy of the LORD is your strength!

                            (Nehemiah 8:10)