“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.” Jeremiah 17:7
Noah Webster defines hope as: A desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it. Hope is a short but powerful word that gives that expectation of something good about to happen.
Jeremiah found his hope in his Lord. Do you remember who Jeremiah was? He was an Old Testament prophet whose ministry spanned five kings (about 39 years) and by all accounts was a failure because people did not listen. Jeremiah spent some of that time imprisoned and yet he preached on. He never married but gave himself wholly to the work God had called him to do. He was faithful to the end and although it was difficult to watch the people around him not living for the Lord, he never lost his hope in his God.
What happens to those who make God their hope?
Flourish In Comfort
When we place our hope in God, we not only have a great peace but such comfort. Psalm 1:3 says, “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Hope brings comfort and comfort brings growth. We will have no need to worry as we just grow in Him and flourish in our spiritual lives.
Inward Peace
Another product of hope is that peace that passes all understanding. We won’t have the anxiety and worry that comes when our hope isn’t on God. When, instead, our hope is fixed on the Lord, our creature comforts will seem unimportant and we will just rest in Him. Jeremiah 17:8b shows us what happens when we have our hope in the Lord. “…and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” The word careful here means: not worried. Peace is the absence of worry. Hope placed in the Lord brings this inner peace and satisfaction.
Fruitful In Holiness
Another by-product of hope is growth in our spiritual lives. The verse above from Jeremiah says we shall not cease from yielding fruit. Our work for God will continue on and be blessed. We will see the results of our hope in the Lord through our daily lives.
Hope, then, in our God will bring abundant satisfaction and confidence in God. It will help us to rest in Him at even the most difficult of times and will give us faith to soar daily in joy because we have hope in our Lord.
Need more encouragement? You can pick up any one of my devotionals and find comfort, hope and joy for your life.
My hope is in the Lord, is yours?
