“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Ro. 15:13
The apostle Paul encourages the Christians in Rome to trust God because he is the God of hope. If they trust him, they will be filled with joy and peace and have even more hope—hope to the point of overflowing.
Because the eternal God is the God of hope, our hope is both for the present and for the future. When we face trials in life, we have a hope for the present circumstances because we know that God is with us. Jesus himself understands our situation. He himself experiences all of the difficulties that we are facing or will face. He was betrayed by a friend. He knew what it meant to be misunderstood, even by his own family members. He was criticized and despised. He was tempted and experienced hunger and pain. He knew grief at the death of his close friend Lazarus. He was lonely and even totally abandoned by his father while on the cross. As believers, we have a present hope that God will accompany us even in our darkest hour.
And our hope goes beyond the present. We know that God is preparing a bright and glorious future. Jesus told his disciples that he was going away to prepare a place for them and would one day return to take them to be where he would be. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit is the guarantee, the first installment of many more blessings to come when the Kingdom of God comes in all its fullness. We will receive a new body, a new home, and a face-to-face presence with the Lord Jesus for all eternity. When we have this hope of a better future, it can carry us through the greatest of difficulties.
A story is told of two men, each about the same age, each one imprisoned for more than 10 years. While in prison, each man regularly wrote letters to his wife on the outside. Both men were so encouraged by their wives who supported them, told them to serve out their time in prison, and then come home again to normal life. Thinking about being reunited with their wives was a real sense of hope for both men. During the 6th year of their time in prison, the wife of the 2nd man suddenly became very sick and died a few days later. Upon hearing of the news, the husband was devastated. Over the next several weeks, he became more withdrawn, had no interest in eating anymore, and finally after 2 months was found dead in his cell. Seeing his wife again had been his hope for the future. With her now gone, there was no motivation to continue on. The first man lived out his sentence in prison, and finally when the day came, was released with great joy and was reunited with his wife.
It is said that a person cannot live without food for more than a few months; cannot live without water for more than a few days; cannot live without air for more than a few minutes; but cannot live without hope for more than a few seconds. When we have no hope, our circumstances seem overwhelming and we lose the desire to even live.
During this challenging time of the corona virus pandemic, there is much to be anxious about. When will life return to normal? When will I be able to normally visit with family and friends again? What about my job situation? When will the brothers and sisters again be able to worship together in the church?
When God is our hope, we can overcome and rise above our circumstances because we have both a hope for the present and for the future. The questions we have will not make us anxious but rather we will be anchored by God’s peace and joy. And this hope in us becomes a testimony for others to see and experience. Just as the water in a cup affects what is outside the cup only when it overflows out of the cup, so as Christians, our hope can overflow by the Holy Spirit to bring hope to others. May the Lord of hope, give us joy and peace, producing hope to overflowing. AMEN.
“但愿使人有盼望的 神，因信，将诸般的喜乐平安充满你们的心，使你们藉着圣灵的能力大有盼望。” 罗15:13 （使徒保罗） 写给罗马的众信徒： 勉励你们，要信靠上帝，祂就是盼望。 信靠祂，就得着平安和喜乐， 还有数不尽的盼望。 上帝的一切都属永恒， 存于当下，也存于未来。 无惧风雨，乘风破浪， 只因上帝与我们同在。 耶稣是我们密友，祂深知我们所有苦难。 祂被朋友出卖，被家人误解； 遭受指责和侮蔑，忍受饥饿和鞭伤。 为拉撒路的死而悲恸， 在十字架上与父隔绝，孑然一身。 还有什么耶稣无法理解？ 至暗时刻，要有盼望， 上帝仍与我们同行。 永恒之事当胜今朝， 光明和荣耀已在前方。 十字架上，耶稣早已预备， 待到天国降临， 圣灵作证， 我们将与耶稣同在应许之地， 迎接更多祝福。 新的身体，新天新地， 众圣徒与主耶稣同在，直到永远。 曾有两人，年纪相仿，监禁数年。 薄薄的信纸，承载着他们对家人的思念。 妻子的鼓舞，狱后的团聚，平静的生活， 是丈夫的支持和盼望。 服刑六年，第二人之妻忽病重身亡。 听闻此，丈夫悲痛欲绝，茶饭不思。 两月后，撒手人寰。 而第一人刑满释放，与妻子欢聚一堂。 盼望，带我们出黑暗，入光明的国度。 没有食物，能存活数月; 没有水，能存活数天; 没有空气，能存活数分钟; 但若没有盼望，只能存活数秒钟。 山崩地裂，万念俱灰。 疫情期间，险象丛生，令人堪忧。 生活何时如常？ 何时探亲访友？ 工作是否尽心如意？ 弟兄姊妹何时齐聚做礼拜？ 但上帝是我们的盼望，带我们跨过艰难险阻， 再多的质疑，都无法撼动船锚。 放下忧思愁苦，涂抹喜乐油，换上赞美衣， 患难深处，才更多经历上帝。 要在世上作光作盐，作他人见证。 要让福杯满溢，将永恒的盼望流向他人。 愿上帝赐予我们平安、喜乐和盼望。 阿们！
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Ro. 15:13
The apostle Paul encourages the Christians in Rome to trust God because he is the God of hope. If they trust him, they will be filled with joy and peace and have even more hope—hope to the point of overflowing.
Because the eternal God is the God of hope, our hope is both for the present and for the future. When we face trials in life, we have a hope for the present circumstances because we know that God is with us. Jesus himself understands our situation. He himself experiences all of the difficulties that we are facing or will face. He was betrayed by a friend. He knew what it meant to be misunderstood, even by his own family members. He was criticized and despised. He was tempted and experienced hunger and pain. He knew grief at the death of his close friend Lazarus. He was lonely and even totally abandoned by his father while on the cross. As believers, we have a present hope that God will accompany us even in our darkest hour.
And our hope goes beyond the present. We know that God is preparing a bright and glorious future. Jesus told his disciples that he was going away to prepare a place for them and would one day return to take them to be where he would be. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit is the guarantee, the first installment of many more blessings to come when the Kingdom of God comes in all its fullness. We will receive a new body, a new home, and a face-to-face presence with the Lord Jesus for all eternity. When we have this hope of a better future, it can carry us through the greatest of difficulties.
A story is told of two men, each about the same age, each one imprisoned for more than 10 years. While in prison, each man regularly wrote letters to his wife on the outside. Both men were so encouraged by their wives who supported them, told them to serve out their time in prison, and then come home again to normal life. Thinking about being reunited with their wives was a real sense of hope for both men. During the 6th year of their time in prison, the wife of the 2nd man suddenly became very sick and died a few days later. Upon hearing of the news, the husband was devastated. Over the next several weeks, he became more withdrawn, had no interest in eating anymore, and finally after 2 months was found dead in his cell. Seeing his wife again had been his hope for the future. With her now gone, there was no motivation to continue on. The first man lived out his sentence in prison, and finally when the day came, was released with great joy and was reunited with his wife.
It is said that a person cannot live without food for more than a few months; cannot live without water for more than a few days; cannot live without air for more than a few minutes; but cannot live without hope for more than a few seconds. When we have no hope, our circumstances seem overwhelming and we lose the desire to even live.
During this challenging time of the corona virus pandemic, there is much to be anxious about. When will life return to normal? When will I be able to normally visit with family and friends again? What about my job situation? When will the brothers and sisters again be able to worship together in the church?
When God is our hope, we can overcome and rise above our circumstances because we have both a hope for the present and for the future. The questions we have will not make us anxious but rather we will be anchored by God’s peace and joy. And this hope in us becomes a testimony for others to see and experience. Just as the water in a cup affects what is outside the cup only when it overflows out of the cup, so as Christians, our hope can overflow by the Holy Spirit to bring hope to others. May the Lord of hope, give us joy and peace, producing hope to overflowing. AMEN.
Having Hope to Overflowing
