For the past few mornings, I’ve been reading in my Bible about how God’s promises bring hope. Abraham had to wait a long time to receive what God promised him. Did he struggle with doubt and discouragement? Perhaps. We mostly know that God was pleased with his patient waiting. About all Abraham could do is count on God’s promise to bless and guide him. Even when challenged, I think Abraham still counted on God and didn’t lose hope. And his faith grew.
What about you and me? Certainly we’ve had challenges that seem like mountains we will never scale. Yet we have God’s promises to guide and bless us along the way. It’s so easy to lose our focus. We tend to dwell on the mountain instead of the hope we have in God. “In God” now that’s something to ponder.
We don’t need to muster up faith or hope. Then it would be like having faith and hope “in ourselves.” But when we have faith and hope “in God”…then we crawl up inside of Him and abide while He takes care of business and brings about what He has promised. Does it mean that we will receive what has been promised in our own timing? Unfortunately, not always.
But we hold onto the promise that God will never leave or forsake us. That He desires to bless and not harm us. And that He will guide and direct our steps. Sounds a lot like what God promised Abraham, doesn’t it? So like Abraham…let’s not lose hope. Let’s ask God to give us the faith to believe and to live for Him each day. Then we can wait patiently to receive the promise that we hold near and dear.
