Hope

I have been going through the book of Job as part of my daily devotional readings. It is a challenging book and, like life, it is not easily explained. In chapter 17, Job speaks to his friends with these words, "Who can see any hope for me?" This is Jobs greatest challenge. He cannot see any reason to go on living. There is nothing to hope for. At this point, even death offers no hope for him. His heart is empty and all is black and dark.

Sometimes we can arrive at a similar point in our lives although perhaps not through the magnitude of Job's losses. Our income has disappeared, our relationships are in distress, and our health is poor. We cannot see anything good coming. We are without hope. Yet is this really true. If we only look back, we might arrive at this conclusion, but if there is a God and he is essentially good, how will that influence my expectations of the future. If I have nothing to hope for, can God give me something to hope for? What would that look like?

Even if my imagination cannot come up with something to hope for, the all-knowing, all-powerful God can go beyond my imagination. At root here is the fundamental belief and conviction that God is both good and able. Ultimately, that is where we have to place our hope. When we do, we can go through anything, even what Job faced and not lose all hope.

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the story. God placed it in his holy scriptures for a reason. God does not insulate us from the ravages of this world but he does provide us with a reason to hope, and you can't live without hope.