I am returning this morning to one of my favorite chapters, Romans 5. That chapter always ministers to my soul. It begins with righteousness, peace, access to God by faith, grace in which to stand, and rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God. Those things make my spirit soar through the heavenlies as I meditate on them, and that is just the first two verses.
Then Paul gets down to earth and begins to write about this life on this planet, and the words change … afflictions, endurance, proven character. That is how we move through our days. Sometimes it seems we are pushing through so much muck and mire. The struggles are real.
At the end there is a bright and shining jewel—hope. Yes, we have afflictions that we must face with endurance. That endurance will produce character in us that can be achieved no other way. Through the stress and pressure we find our jewel, a hope that will not disappoint us.
The writer to Hebrews tells us that contained within that hope are courage and confidence. “But Christ was faithful as a Son over His household. And we are that household if we hold on to the courage and the confidence of our hope.” [3:6 HCSB]
We must understand, however, that the world hates our hope and seeks to destroy it. Circumstances and difficulties seek to chip away at it. Neglect and complacency can cause it to slip from our grasp. We must “hold on” as the Hebrew’s writer reminds us. Hold on to the promises of God. Hold on to His hope. Hold on to Him!
2020 has been a destroyer of hope for many. Their courage and confidence have been chipped away because of uncertainty, loss, difficulties and even the ignorance of others. Beloved, hold on. We may not see the end yet, and the fear that 2021 may not be different can arise, but our God is the same today as He has always been. Hope in Him is a sure thing especially when everything is crumbling around us!
