July 6
1 Chronicles 2:18-4:4; Acts 24:1-27; Psalm 4:1-8; Proverbs 18:16-18
Hope. Hope is a necessary ingredient to endure the trials of life. Without hope our hearts can easily shrivel up and die. The genealogies of 1 Chronicles may seem like a strange place to find hope but it is scattered like breadcrumbs throughout the list. The focus of the names is the line of Judah, the family of promise. Before the Exodus, God promised that from Judah would come a king and therefore this family was watched with great anticipation. Every child born brought the hope that maybe this would be the true king to lead the people. Since Chronicles ends with Judah in exile the author was still awaiting the one to come. He has come in Jesus. He is the true, eternal king from the line of Judah to lead not only Israel but the whole world. Because he came, there is hope.
We also see the power of hope in Paul’s imprisonment in Caesarea. What was supposed to be a short time behind bars dragged on for two years by the end of Acts 24. Yet even in the face of physical suffering, Paul still has hope, because he still has Christ. No matter the circumstances we face, we can always find hope by looking to Jesus. Psalm 4 echoes this same sentiment by focusing on the hope of God’s answered prayers and the ultimate safety he provides. Even if our lives on Earth end in suffering like Jesus, this world is not the end of the story. Our hope should always transcend anything this world can throw at us.
God, my Father, thank you for the hope you bring. Help me to always look to you for the guarantee of a better future through Christ. No matter how hard today might be, help me to keep my eyes fixed on you. The source of my hope. Amen.
Question of the day: What should be the foundation for your hope and how can this give you hope today?
Hope. Hope is a necessary ingredient to endure the trials of life. Without hope our hearts can easily shrivel up and die. The genealogies of 1 Chronicles may seem like a strange place to find hope but it is scattered like breadcrumbs throughout the list. The focus of the names is the line of Judah, the family of promise. Before the Exodus, God promised that from Judah would come a king and therefore this family was watched with great anticipation. Every child born brought the hope that maybe this would be the true king to lead the people. Since Chronicles ends with Judah in exile the author was still awaiting the one to come. He has come in Jesus. He is the true, eternal king from the line of Judah to lead not only Israel but the whole world. Because he came, there is hope.
We also see the power of hope in Paul’s imprisonment in Caesarea. What was supposed to be a short time behind bars dragged on for two years by the end of Acts 24. Yet even in the face of physical suffering, Paul still has hope, because he still has Christ. No matter the circumstances we face, we can always find hope by looking to Jesus. Psalm 4 echoes this same sentiment by focusing on the hope of God’s answered prayers and the ultimate safety he provides. Even if our lives on Earth end in suffering like Jesus, this world is not the end of the story. Our hope should always transcend anything this world can throw at us.
God, my Father, thank you for the hope you bring. Help me to always look to you for the guarantee of a better future through Christ. No matter how hard today might be, help me to keep my eyes fixed on you. The source of my hope. Amen.
Question of the day: What should be the foundation for your hope and how can this give you hope today?
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