Colossians 1:26-28
Hope: is desire for something
Psalm 131:1,2 I lift up my eyes to the hills from whence comes my help. My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Judas, who betrayed Jesus, lost hope in Christ. So he thought he would force the hand of God to act on behalf of Israel to regain its Kingdom. When people lose hope, they act irrationally and even destructively (panic stage). The Pandemic will last for a long time! No hope, my political party lost! I am doomed; I lost my job!
The Psalmist was brought back to his senses when he was looking for help, “MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD.”
A sick widow with 4 children from the Muslim faith was being ministered to by the women of the church in Chicago with Pastor Younan. The women of the church were bringing the Muslim women food, kitchen utensils and coats. After praying with her, they asked, “Is there anything else we can get you?” She said, “Tell Pastor Younan to pray that I will get well, as his prayers go straight to heaven.” Her hope was in a man to bring healing to her. They told her he is just a man but the one who does bring healing and help is Jesus.
We all do this, relying on ourselves and others. That is good, but our ultimate hope comes from the Lord.
Colossians 1:27 … to them God willed to make known what are the Riches of the Glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is (Christ in you the hope of Glory).
I Peter 1:3 God has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead.
Share your hope to others…the hope of His glory!
Bill Badal is Pastor Emeritus at First Baptist. He was born and raised in Baghdad, Iraq, and moved to the United States as a teenager.
