22 Feb, 2011

Hope

While on my way home the other night, I tuned into a radio station that I don’t usually listen to, but what I heard caught my attention.  The DJ had chosen to designate her portion of the show as “Mystic Monday.”  She encouraged her listeners to be open to the use of psychic power, and she intended to have a guest psychic on the show.  She explained to her co-host that she saw no harm in having your fortune told or having a psychic look into the future for you because she believes that psychics give people hope.  I listened to her twisted logic as she described spending lots of money to have a stranger tell her some very vague ideas of what the days ahead might or might not bring, but because she saw that as hope for her future, she was satisfied and deemed it “money well spent.”

Psalm 33:13-22

"From heaven the LORD looks down
   and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches
   all who live on earth—
he who forms the hearts of all,
   who considers everything they do.

No king is saved by the size of his army;
   no warrior escapes by his great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
   despite all its great strength it cannot save.
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
   on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
to deliver them from death
   and keep them alive in famine.

We wait in hope for the LORD;
   he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
   for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, LORD,
   even as we put our hope in you."

 

Isaiah 46:9-10

"Remember the things I have done in the past.
      For I alone am God!
      I am God, and there is none like me.
 Only I can tell you the future
      before it even happens.
 Everything I plan will come to pass,
      for I do whatever I wish."
What does God’s Story scripture teach us about hope?
God knows everything that we say and do.  He knows our thoughts, our history, our dreams and desires.  As this passage of scripture says, he formed our hearts and considers everything that we do, and he is the ONLY one who knows what the future holds for us.  He is our reason for hope, because in Him we have assurance of eternal life with Christ in heaven, and He is the only sure thing that we can put our trust in.
How can I connect today’s God’s Story scripture to my life?
Don’t let them fool you.  Horoscopes, psychics, or others who pretend to predict the future are just tools that Satan uses to trick us into putting our hope in anything besides God.  How often do you consult other sources for a glimpse into what to expect, or a glimmer of hope for what lies ahead?  Even something as seemingly harmless as reading a generic horoscope can plant a seed in your heart and mind that can grow into an unhealthy belief in what is ultimately false.  Put your hope in God and in Him alone.
How can I connect today’s God’s Story scripture and my story to others?
What do your friends seek to give them hope for the future?  Have you shared with them the hope and encouragement for your future that God has given you?  Pray for an opportunity this week to share your hope in Christ.
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