Hope to Carry On

Waiting is something that not very many people like to do, but we wait all the time. We wait each and every day for one reason or another. We wait in line, we wait for phone calls, we wait for the light to change colors, we wait for other people; we do a lot of waiting. We even wait on God. Sometimes I find myself getting frustrated while waiting. It takes patience to wait, no matter what or who you are waiting on and sometimes when we end up waiting for a very long time, it can become discouraging. In Psalm 74, the Israelites were waiting on God to come and rescue them. They were seeing total disregard for God all around them at the hands of their enemies and they were wondering when God was going to do something about it. “How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to insult you? Will you let them dishonor your name forever? Why do you hold back your strong right hand? Unleash your power and destroy them.” (10-11) If you think about the words that Asaph penned, they might be very similar to words that you have thought or even spoken at some point in your life. It can be very overwhelming to see all the pain and hurt in the world. Sometimes, I have even wondered where God is in the midst of it all. It is important to remember that we live in a fallen world because of sin and for those of us who have new life in Jesus Christ, this is not our home. God is loving and merciful and just and he is in control of every tiny aspect of each of our lives. He is good and all he does is good. He always keeps his promises. One day his son, Jesus Christ, will return and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord. Yes, life is difficult. Yes, life can be full of pain, but having a relationship with God allows for hope to permeate through every aspect of your life. Hope is what each of us needs to carry on in this world. Hope is what each of us needs to wait upon the Lord. If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, it is your responsibility to let others know about the hope you have inside of you. Then they too will have the opportunity to grab on to the hope that allows you to carry on in the midst of difficult circumstances. Waiting on God isn’t easy, but keep in mind that you aren’t waiting alone. God is right there beside you. He has promised never to leave or forsake you. He loves you greatly. If you believe this, then make sure you are telling others about the hope you have inside you. “I can see Jesus hanging on the cross. I can see Jesus hanging on the cross. I can see Jesus hanging on the cross. He came looking for the lost and Love has come, Love has come, Love has come and it's giving me hope to carry on. I can hear Jesus saying 'Father forgive'. I can hear Jesus saying 'Father forgive'. I can hear Jesus saying 'Father forgive'. What a thing he did and Love has come Love has come, Love has come and it's giving me hope to carry on. I can see Love. Love is all I want to see. Love can make a beggar rich and set a prisoner free. I know He can do it for you And God knows He did it for me…. Love has come. Love has come. Love has come and it’s giving me hope to carry on” (“Hope to Carry On” – Caedmon’s Call)