What do you really need to make it through tough times? There are many experts who are offering loads of advice about how to survive the difficult times we are facing today. Financial experts are giving tips about investments and management. Health experts are giving check lists for citizens to follow to protect themselves from the Swine Flu.
Security experts are warning that crime might increase so gun sales are increasing and everything that offers protection is in demand. Employment experts are showing the thousands of laid off workers how to retrain themselves for the workplace after layoffs. Everyone seems to know what we need to survive and prosper in times like these. Yet, the bible’s answer is very simple: we should take all of precautions that we can but never lose hope, because all we really need is God’s grace; that will be enough.
Sometimes we don’t hope in the Lord, we take matters into our own hands. That’s what happened when the local cleaners found itself short on business. To boost business, he started a new promotion. Every person who came to his business with a child during the hot days of summer would get free ice cream cones with three scoops. The owner’s friends were skeptical that such a promotion would help the laundry business. They were critical of his high hopes, to which the businessman replied, “High hopes has nothing to do with it because it’s a proven fact that little children will waste chocolate ice cream over everyone’s clothes, all I need is for the sun to keep shining and free ice cream and that’s enough.”
All of our precautions are wise and advisable but in reality, all we ever need in any situation is God’s grace. Israel was being attacked by a huge arm of enemies and it tried to amass an army big enough to meet the coming attack. Gideon first assembled thousands of warriors, and then finally reduced them to 300. He soon found that his 300 soldiers were too many because in the middle of the night God took action and the entire army of the enemy had ran away. He had 300 men but needed none of them. He had the power of the Lord on his side, and that was enough.
Hope is often defined as believing in a positive outcome related to situations in one's life. Hope is the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best. In Greek mythology, Pandora had had a special box that contained all of the dangers and calamities that humans could face. Once opened, Pandora would release all of the misfortunes upon a person but hold back hope. Just as humanity struggled dealing with every that had come from her box, Pandora then let out hope and the society survived.
Hope is one of the 12 qualities of the Christian described in Galatians 5:22 as the fruit of the spirit. It is based upon our faith that no matter how difficult our times that God is able to deliver us.
As Christians, we rejoice in the knowledge that Jesus knows all about our troubles and that when the time is right, he will respond to our need. That is our hope. It’s a beautiful hope that sets us free.
This text focuses on David as he considers the distress that surrounds him and places his hope in the Lord. David has been characterized as a man after God’s own heart but one whose life mirrors that of the average man; filled with flaws. In this text he is deep distress and laments the troubles of the nation. He offers hope to Israel by pointing to his own personal iniquities and troubles and testifying as to how God delivered him from them.
In Psalm 130:1 he says, “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee” noting his personal troubled history and adding how he placed his hope in the Lord.
Additionally, he shares his experience that he waited or hoped or trusted in the Lord, even as those around him trusted in their own devices. So, at Psalm 130:5-6 we read, “I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. “
His conclusion is that when we are surrounded with trouble, we should place our hope in the Lord. That’s the meaning of Psalm 130:7 “Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.” Hoping and trusting in the Lord has two results, mercy and plenteous redemption.
It is better to place our hope in the Lord rather than the devices of men.
The question may be asked How to Hope? When times are tough the Word of God teaches us not to misplace our hope and trust but to place in solely on God. There are three considerations in this respect:
HOPE IN THE LORD: Believers are given direction about where to place our hopes. Psalm 130:7 says, “I will hope in the Lord.” It means that we place the focus of our belief and faith in the hands of God. It does not mean that you do not till the soil and plant the seeds; it means that your hope is not in the soil or the seeds but that God would provide the increase one way or another.
That’s the secret to overcoming difficult times and achieving perfect peace when all around you are in a panic. Those who hope in the Lord focus on the fact that God is the deliverer and provider. Focusing on God is not naivety; it is not irrational; it simply recognizes that there is a power beyond anything in this world. So rather than fear what you will do if your job plays out, focus on the fact that even if it does play out God can make a way, has made a way, and will make a way.
Rather than fear what may happen if you get a bad diagnosis from your doctor, focus on the fact that even if the news is bad, that God is able! In every situation, no matter how bad it is God keeps saying, “Keep your eyes on me.” That’s why David declared, in Psalm 121:1-2 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord who made the heavens and the earth.”
WITH HIM COMES MERCY: When times are difficult each us pleads for mercy. “Lord, Have Mercy!” is a common saying among believers. “Have mercy” alone is insufficient because we are reminded that “With him” we have mercy. Mercy is relief from our troubles even though we might have brought them on ourselves. Mercy is the granting of favor that we do not deserve. Mercy is receiving another blessing in a time of need although we have squandered all other blessings we have received. Lamentations 3:22-23 is a passage that addresses this subject. The profit Jeremiah lamented over the condition of Israel but at the same time recognized that every day God was actually giving them a new blessing and a new act of mercy. It reads, “It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” This is the idea of the song writer who wrote, “Great is thy faithfulness. Great is thy faithfulness. Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed thy hand hath provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.”
WITH HIM COMES PLENTEOUS REDEMPTION: When we hope in God he promises of restoration and redemption. Psalm 130:7 uses an adjective “Plenteous” to describe the nature of our restoration. Young’s translation uses the word “abundant.” The living bible describes “Plenteous” as armloads. It has in its range of meanings great growth in grace, abounding usefulness, high spirituality, and perfect preparedness for heave. It all means that by placing our hope in God we will be restore in a whole lot of ways both spiritual and physical. Underscores the reason believers have hope in difficult times.
He has promised us plenteous redemption. That means those who have hope can:
--stay CALM in the midst of crises
--have PEACE in the midst of problems
--enjoy GLADNESS in the midst of sorrow
--receive ASSURANCE in the midst of afflictions!
--press on in the midst of pain.
--be FRUITFUL in a time of famine!
Because of this beautiful hope believers are able to sing, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.”
Keep hoping in the Lord
Finally, brothers and sisters, believers should resolve that no matter how tough conditions become we will continue to trust in the Lord.
We will trust in the Lord because God is our refuge our strong place to hide in storms.
In times past, God proved himself to be a refuge or place of shelter in times of storm.
He is the same God we have served in the past and his power has not diminished.
Come what may, it’s a good idea to keep trusting in the Lord.
We trust in the Lord because history has shown us that those who trust in the Lord face the unknown without fear.
We trust in the Lord because saints who have trusted him have been rewarded with answered prayers, a few earthly pleasures and heavenly glory!
We are not by ourselves:
--Noah trusted the Lord and he brought him through the great flood!
--Abraham trusted the Lord and he showed him the Lamb in the bush!
--Ruth trusted the Lord and she found happiness while gleaning fields!
--Moses trusted the Lord and he led Israel out of bondage
--Daniel trusted the Lord and he protected him in the Lion's Den
--Three Hebrew Boys trusted the Lord and he shielded them in the fiery furnace!
Job declared that though his health was slipping away, his children were gone and his wealth was lost that he would still trust the Lord. I hear him across the centuries declaring, "Yea though he slay me, yet will I trust him."
We will continue to place our hope in the Lord because when we are:
--Sad, the Lord will be our fountain of joy!
--At Fault, the Lord will be our stronghold of forgiveness!
--Weak, the Lord will be our pillar of strength
--Discouraged, the Lord will be our pool of inspiration!
--Defeated, the Lord will be our crown of victory!
--Darkness, the Lord will be our light!
--Lonely, the Lord will be our friend
--Helpless, the Lord will be our help.
The Lord is my refuge and my strength a very pleasant help in a time of trouble!
I heard the song writer declare, “I trust in God wherever I may be. Out on the land or on the raging sea. Though come what may, from day to day, my heavenly father watches over me!”
“I trust in God; I know he cares for me. Upon the land or on the raging sea, though billows roll, he keeps my soul! My heavenly father watches over me!”
I’m reminded of a family in the hill country often walked a path over the hills and through the valley to visit relatives. One night the father walked with his wife and children along that beaten path, but a sudden fog appeared. No one could see anything because of the thick fog but the father kept moving at the same pace. The son called out to his mother, “Mother shouldn’t we slow down. We can’t see where we’re going.” The mother said, “I can’t see how to put one foot in front of the other myself. But your father has walked this trail since he was a boy. When he walked backed and forth to grandma’s, he walked this trail. When he carried wood for Aunt Carrie, he walked this trail. When he came home late at night from working in the fields, he walked this trail. No, son, I can’t see anything, but your father knows the way, we’ll just hold his hand!
You may not be able to see how to put one foot in front of the other, but your father in heaven knows the way!
Hold to his hand! God’s unchanging hand!
The same hand that was nailed to an old rugged cross! Hold to his hand!
He died out on Calvary, but Early Sunday morning, he arose from the dead!
Hold to his hand, the Lord knows the way!
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