Hope in God

Feed your faith, and your fears will starve. -anonymous "church sign"
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28
For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. - 1 Peter 3:5-6

Allen Snapp from yesterday's sermon on Sarah's Hope (Genesis 20:1-13 and 1 Peter 3:5-6):

Hope in God fixes our eyes on God and his promises. We don't need to fix our eyes on the "all things" and figure out how they are working together for our good - we fix our eyes on God and trust that they are.

Hoping in God gives our character strength to be steady as you go, to do what God has called us to do. Do good and don't fear (1 Peter 3:6). Steady as you go.

The actions of those on the Titanic to avoid the iceberg actually probably contributed to them hitting it in the worst possible way, and made matters worse than if they did nothing. It's not just about what's happening to you and coming at you in your life. It's how you respond that either escalates or defuses the problem. Sarah's faith in God gave her strength to walk through trials in a way that glorified God. She kept doing the good God called her to do and she didn't give in to fear. And the Lord would speak that to you: do good and do not fear. Allow God to steady your soul. "Do not fear anything that is frightening" - it really is frightening, but you don't need to fear.

Our confidence never shifts to our growth in God, to our sanctification. Our confidence is always in the gracious undeserved power and blood of Jesus Christ shed for our sins. And that will always and ever be where our confidence lies. We never need his mercy less because of growth. When we clearly see our need for grace, we are able to give grace to others.

And who is this God, this Christ, in whom I am to hope? Colossians 1:15-20 describes for me:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

This is the One who is fully worthy of my hope and trust.

photo: the home I was made for,

where I will see the One I was made for

(December 2007)