Joyful in Hope 3

2 Thessalonians 2:15-17

An early memory of mine is from a day in grade school where the whole class was working on a sheet of math problems. One after another students asked the teacher about fractions in the answers. I had completed most of my paper and didn’t have a single fraction in my answers, so I began to worry. I reviewed all my answers and pressed on, completing the assignment. Still no fractions.

After a second review, convinced I was correct, I told the teacher that I had not come up with any fractions in my answers. “None of the answers are supposed to have fractions,” she said.

Fortunately for me I was convinced I was right and held on to what I believed. That same attitude needs to be applied to our faith.

In this letter to the Thessalonians what encouragement is offered in verse 15? What is offered in verse 17?

It can be very disheartening to watch the news reports on television or to open the daily paper. Story after story tells of the problems with our current economy, failing lending institutions and falling stock values. It is easy to get caught up in the despair that many people feel.

If we are going to maintain a positive outlook on life and continue believing that God is watching over us and can provide for our needs, then we are likely to go against popular belief. It can be difficult to keep the faith when so many problems surround us.

It is unlikely that our economy is going to rebound over night. The return to financial and economic stability will, no doubt, require time and work. And it is very possible that we will never return to exactly where we were. The economic landscape may become something completely different.

But this time of uncertainty is no time to abandon our faith or belief in God and His mercy. Rather, this is the time for us to renew our strength in our faith and to draw even nearer to God. Just as the church in Thessalonica was urged to stand firm, so we should take courage and stand firm in the shifting tides of our times.

We can take courage that the blessing for Thessalonica can also apply to us. Jesus Christ and God, the Father, can give us eternal encouragement and good hope. With the blessings and grace of God even in uncertain times, we can continue in good deeds and good words.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What can help you stand firm in your faith?

Joyful in Hope 1

Romans 12:9-13

Times are troubled right now. You need only open up a newspaper or turn on any TV channel that offers news reports to see that the economy in America is uncertain. Our political landscape is also uncertain. We are facing an election, a change in the leadership of our nation, and the different parties seem deeply divided.

Our very lives may seem uncertain. This coming Saturday is “All Saints Day,” the day that we remember the loved ones we have lost in the past year. This can be a time of incredible grief for many.

All of these issues can cause stress and discomfort. All of these factors can unsettle us. But we need to remember who we are and what we believe.

We are Christians. We believe in the power and grace of a loving God and in His Son, Jesus Christ. We can look at Paul’s letter to the church in Rome and find encouragement and comfort, as well as guidance for our faith.

What is Paul’s first instruction? What other instructions does he offer in verses 9 through 11? What guidance is given in verse 12? Verse 13?

I doubt that any of us can say without question what will happen in the future. We can never be absolutely certain how matters will turn out. But one thing we can be certain about is how we are to face the problems and challenges of life. Verse 12 gives a three-step approach to our faith and how we deal with adversity.

We need to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. These three attitudes can strengthen us as we work through the uncertainty of life.

Remaining joyful in hope may be the most difficult to do. When facing the loss of one we love very much our grief can be very strong. How, then, can we be joyful? The key word is “hope.”

In spite of our setbacks and our sorrows, in spite of our grief and pain, we need to have hope. As Christians we should hold firm to the hope of the resurrection promised by Jesus Christ. As obedient children of God we should hold firm to the hope of the Lord’s mercy.

Christ has promised that those who mourn will be comforted. Our losses and sadness can not be avoided, but our comfort is guaranteed. And Christ has paved the way, opened the door to everlasting life through his own death and resurrection.

In this we have hope, and that hope should be the source of joy we feel in spite of the troubles and pain of life.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Which part of your life right now needs hope?