Tuesday's Treasure: Hope

I woke up early today.
Although I love being on vacation, I can't "sleep in" for more than a couple of days in one week. I like the quiet of the house while my daughters "sleep in".
I like getting some light housework done early.
I like reading the Word early, or taking my "prayer/meditation time" outside and walking.

I woke up my normal "teaching day" time and headed downstairs in my new xmas gift, a long, fleecey robe, with the hope of making my husband a surprise breakfast of hot, steaming coffee, sausage and eggs, toast. We enjoyed our meal together and he left for work.

I picked up my Bible to read a bit and headed to Amos. I chuckled at the notes at the beginning of the book. The version of the Bible I tend to read from is the Women of Faith Devotional Bible, New King James version. They give a short summary of what each book is about. This note said that the Israelites were materialistic, immoral, and apathetic towards God's Word. Not much has changed over the centuries, has it?!
I began to read the last chapter (9: 11-15). This is the bright spot, the prophecy of what was to come, in the entire book. It speaks about hope.

We have lots of hope for things don't we?
As teens, we hope to get into a good college of our choice and get scholarships so our loan bills are not so exorbitant!
As young college singles we hope to get married to a great spouse and get a great career going.
As young, married adults we hope to raise children and get that dream house.
As parents, we hope our babies are born healthy, do well in school, and learn our value system/follow our beliefs.
As parents of teens, we hope they get into the college of their choice, make wise decisions, fall in love. And so life continues.
If we are Christians, we hope our children accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and follow Him/place their trust in Him.

As CHRISTIANS, where does our hope lie?
In Christ alone.
We can still hope for all those things. But without Christ, we often lack that sense of purpose. Without Christ, we can still have a "good life". But....when trials come, how will we respond? Will we think our lives are over? Will we despair? Do we have what it takes to persevere?

The book of Amos is chock-full of the gloom of consequences of God's judgement over that land and people. They were sinful and unrepentant.
The end of the book, however, fills us with hope.
When God destroys, He rebuilds.
When God takes something away, He replaces it with abundance and security.
There is a hope and a future in God! "Behold, the days are coming" says the Lord. (verse 13a).
When we place our trust in Jesus, we have the assurance of hope.

Scriptures of hope that I like:
I Peter 5: 6-7 "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

Hebrews 6:19a "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast..."

Psalm 146:5 "Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God."

John 16: 33 (Jesus is speaking) "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Where does your hope lie as we head into 2009?