Rejoice in hope (Romans 12:12)
I would like to continue our meditation on hope. Hope is a very potent attitude and will always be one of the three key ingredients needed for our growth and our effectiveness in the kingdom of God, the other two being faith and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). Hope is an attitude that needs to go hand in hand with any labor we are involved in; when we labor we need to attach to our labor the hope of a harvest: “he that ploweth should plow in hope” (1 Corinthians 9:10). Why is it important to couple our labor with hope? If faith brings to life the things we have hoped for, which it does (Hebrews 11:1), then hope is the attitude that keeps us unmoved and anchored through the whole process: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19).
Does hope produce the same results for everyone? Even though we would love to think so, the truth is that it does not. The Bible is very clear; the hopes of the wicked come to nothing (Proverbs 10:28), but the hope of the righteous results in joy. Yes, our faith in the finished work of Christ and, as children of God, our hope in all his promises will only result in a season of joy for us. This week, let us continue to place our hope in Christ and in His promises, and as we do so, let us prepare for our harvest: “Certainly there is a future, And your hope will not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18).
Declaration: This week as I labor in my God-given tasks, I will do so with the hope of a harvest for I know, in Christ, my expectation will not be cut off.
Scripture: The hope of the righteous brings joy (Proverbs 10:28b).