The God of Hope – Andrew Wilkes
As followers of Christ, we hope in God, because He is unwaveringly faithful. Viruses don’t change God’s faithfulness. Who the president is doesn’t change God’s faithfulness. Not even our own loneliness or pain can possibly change God’s faithfulness. Why is that? Because God is. That’s what God said when Moses asked the almighty God what His name was. He said “I AM.” God is outside of time and dwells with Himself, a triune God. It’s God’s unchangeable nature, what we call the “immutability of God,” that we rest and find hope in. God is and He shall never change. This immutability of God is important when it comes to hope in our lives in the midst of difficult circumstances. Why is that? Because our God has called Himself “the God of hope” (Romans 15:13).
In the Bible, a name is often representative of the character of a person and this is certainly true of God. Jesus was named Jesus (Jehovah saves), because He would save His people from their sins. When we read that our God calls Himself “the God of hope,” it’s because that is who He is; this is His character. So, I tell you believer in Christ, hope in God, because he is. He is the God of all hope and He never changes. I do not know what tomorrow will bring, but whatever trial or hardship may come, my unchanging God of hope will be there too! He has promised to never leave me nor forsake me.
I want you to praise God with me by saying something out loud. “God is the God of hope.” It may feel foolish, but sometimes it helps us to memorize a scripture or process truth to say it out loud. Try it. Now say it once more. One last time. Now say, “my God is the God of Hope.” Can you feel the hope and encouragement beginning to rise in you as you agree with God? In saying this out loud, you do not make God the God of hope, you simply recognize who God has already declared Himself to be. I pray that Romans 15:13 will become a mighty declaration that will lead you to a time of intimate worship. Boldly proclaim in the face of your circumstances that no matter what occurs, no matter how bad things get, who is your God? The God of hope!
Now it’s one thing to declare a portion of scripture, even though it is true. It becomes something deeper when we allow God the Holy Spirit to imbed it into our hearts and to transform this truth into a living reality that we actively experience. I have included our verse from Romans 15 as well as a brief section from Romans chapter 8 that I pray will edify you as you meditate on the Word of God. Pray over it, allow God to speak to you out of it. Memorize it, declare it back to God as worship.
Romans 15:13
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 8:35-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
My brothers and sisters, I am praying for you. I know this time has been hard. I know you have been separated from loved ones, confined even more than normal and are probably watching too much news to be healthy for any person’s spiritual life. This world is falling apart and perhaps you feel helpless and hopeless as the days pass by. Meditate on Christ, get into prayer, get into fellowship with other believers as much as you can. Be filled with the Spirit, singing and making melody in your hearts (Ephesians 5:18-20). More than anything, get into the very presence of this God of hope and let the Holy Spirit “fill you with all joy and peace in believing…” (Romans 15:13).
And once you are filled with this supernatural hope, this heavenly joy and this peace in believing on Christ, bring these things to those around you. Bring the Gospel to those who do not have it. Bring His goodness to a brother or sister whose head is hanging low. Hallelujah!