Our Hope for Years to Come

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise Him.
Psalm 28:7  (also read Psalm 28:6-9)

This verse provides a happy formula for the New Year. Notice the progression.

First, we realize that the Lord is our strength and shield. No matter what unfolds from day to day or from month to month, He’ll give us sufficient strength, and His presence will surround us as a shield.

Second, our hearts can fully trust Him. We can relax, rest, and lean on Him, knowing He is fully able to do all He has promised.

Third, as we recognize who He is and trust Him, we are helped. There’s no sense of panic as it relates to the uncertain future. He helps us in everything at every time. The past, the present, and the future are His.

Fourth, our heart can therefore rejoice. Today is a day for a joyful and glad attitude. And that leads to a song of praise. We can have a hymn in our hearts today–like this one: “O God our Help in ages past, our hope for years to come; be Thou our Guide while life shall last, and our eternal home.” (Turning Point)

Under the shadow of Thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure; sufficient is Thine arm alone, and our defense is sure.
Isaac Watts

Trust in Him at all times, ye people.
Psalm 62:8 (also read 2 Corinthians 1:8-10)

A construction worker was welding on top of a water tower outside Chicago when he unhooked his safety gear to reach for some pipes. At the same time, a metal cage slipped and bumped the scaffolding he was on, sending him to the ground in a 110-foot fall where he landed on a pile of dirt. When the paramedics arrived and carried him off on a stretcher, he had one humorous request; “Don’t drop me.” *

Sometimes we are like that construction worker in our faith; trusting God to save us from the long fall of our sins, yet fretting over the three-foot falls of every-day details. It is easy to trust God with the big things we don’t fully understand, but a lot of us have a difficult time putting our trust in Almighty God for the small and personal issues we deal with on a daily basis. The Bible tells us to trust God for everything because He knows our needs even before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8).

If you haven’t fully put your trust in the Lord, spend some time casting ALL your cares upon Him, for He knows you intimately, loves you perfectly, and is worthy of your trust in every situation. –(Turning Point) 

It is a glorious thing to know that your Father God makes no mistakes in directing or permitting that which crosses the path of your life. It is our glory to trust Him, no matter what.
Joni Erickson Tada

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:8  —-also read Matthew 20:26-28

Imagine discovering that God’s will for your life was to leave everything familiar to go and minister to the slaves in a foreign country by becoming a slave yourself. What would your reaction be?

While most of us would shrink back in fear and find every reason not to go, two Moravian missionaries did exactly the opposite. They offered themselves up for such a calling and said, “We will go and be slaves on the plantations and work and toil under the lash to get right beside the poor slaves and instruct them.” So they became slaves in order to bring the message of hope and salvation to those who were captive.

In the same way, Christ Jesus, who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and perfect, willingly lowered Himself to human form, lived in an utterly imperfect world, and unjustly carried a cross on His back to the place where He would give His life for a sinful and rebellious people that He loved beyond measure.

As you go about your day, let Jesus’ ultimate example of humility inspire you to “walk humbly with thy God” (Micah 6:8).                              —-from Turning Point

But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?” So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Luke 12:20-21  (also read Philippians 3:7-8)

In recent years, lots of people have been forced to decide what is most valuable to them. There have been hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike that battered the American Gulf Coast states. Then there were the massive 2008 floods in the Midwest, and the unusually severe 2007 Southern California wildfires. In each case, hundreds of thousands of people were forced to abandon their homes, taking their most valuable possessions with them.

What would you take if you were given two hours to evacuate your home and flee an impending disaster? Most people take things they don’t use every day: family pictures, personal and family records and legal documents, heirlooms and items of value. Many things that we think we can’t live without (TV, music, sports equipment) would be left behind. It behooves us not to decide what’s most important just in times of crisis, but every day. And we need to invest God’s resources in that which is most important, as well.

Only two things will last for eternity: the souls of people and the Word of God. Investing in both now is the best way to lay up treasures in heaven. (from Turning Point)

The limit of giving is to be the limit of our ability to give. (C. S. Lewis)