"God of... hope"

    Similar to the term “God of mercy” (that we studied last week), the term, “God of hope,” is alluded to throughout the bible but the actual term is only found once in the bible, in Romans 15:13.   

“Now may the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NKJV)

hope (from the Greek, ‘elpis,’ Strong’s #G1680) meaning expectation of good, joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation

    God is the author and origin of our hope, the very reason for our hope. It was by His plan, formed before the foundation of the world, that we have hope in Him through His Son: “…knowing you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold…but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot. He was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter 1:18a, 19-21 NKJV)

    Consider Jeremiah’s words:

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and it will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:1-8 NKJV)

    The prophet paints a picture of peace, contentment, and joy, as the ‘tree’ remains healthy and continues to develop and produce fruit even during ‘the year of drought.’ That is what the God of hope can do for us! He can fill us with joy and peace in believing!

    Why?

    That we may ABOUND in hope!

abound (from the Greek, ‘perisseuo,’ Strong’s #G4052) means to overflow, to have above and beyond ordinary measure, to exceed

    Think on this definition of hope – and consider the fact that God desires you to abound in it:

“Biblical hope not only desires something good for the future – it expects it to happen. And not only expects it to happen – it is confident it will happen. There is a moral certainty the good we expect and desire will be done.” - John Piper

    Hope is the great stabilizer – think again of the strong, well-rooted, and well-nourished tree, able to withstand the storms of life. When your origin of hope is in God, it gives you great peace and enduring joy even amidst the trials of life, because you are wholly confident in His power, faithfulness, goodness, grace, and mercy!

“For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth. By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb. My praise shall be continually of You. I have become a wonder to many, but You are my strong refuge. Let my mouth be filled with Your praise and with Your glory all the day… I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day, for I do not know their limits. I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.” (Psalm 71:5-8, 14-16 NKJV)

    God wants you to abound in hope – a hope that nourishes you with joy and roots you in peace through the good days and the bad, a hope that overflows and becomes evident, causing you to be a wonder to many, and giving you opportunity to proclaim the reason for the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15)!

    Let your hope be in our loving God of hope – joying in His provision and living in true peace as you trust in His abilities – and develop a hope that absolutely ABOUNDS!!

You can do it! So can I!!