Growing Strong in Hope

As a child, I joined my school’s Track and Field team as a runner. One of the most memorable moments of my time in Track and Field was when I participated in my first competition! Looking back, my race event probably only lasted less than five minutes, but at that time, it felt much longer than that. Nevertheless, it was the vision of winning and the hope of the finish line that kept me going. I will never forget how amazing it felt when I crossed the finish line knowing that I had done well!

Hope is the expectation of good in our lives and it helps us to finish well. My hope of the finish line kept me going for five minutes. Caleb held on to the promise of his inheritance in the Promised Land – hope kept him going for 45 years! Whether it is for five minutes or 45 years, hope keeps us believing and running our race.

As we navigate through our life on earth, sometimes we focus on the temporal things we face, and our short-sightedness robs us of our hope. Even as the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, Caleb could have focused on the circumstances around him and allowed it to dampen his hope. 

Instead, he set his sight on God’s promise to Israel, and that hope and vision of his inheritance kept him physically and mentally strong at 85, just as he was 45 years ago! At the end of 45 years, he was hungry to take his inheritance, which Joshua gave to him!

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

The Bible tells us that God is our source of overflowing, confident hope. Let us ask God to fill us with His hope and to revive the dreams He has placed in our hearts, even those from many years ago.

Reflection

What are the dreams that God has placed in your heart? Ask God to pour fresh hope onto these dreams and revive them.

What are some things that can take away your hope in God’s dreams for your life? How can you overcome these obstacles to have strong hope?

Prayer

God, You are my source of hope. You are faithful to fulfil every promise. I choose to fix my eyes on Your promises instead of the circumstances. Fill me with confident expectation in Your word and my future.

Fasting Day 12. **Expressing Grief and Sorrow**: Fasting can express grief and sorrow, as seen in David’s fasting for the life of his child in 2 Samuel 12:16-23.

JOSHUA 14

10“Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.

ROMANS 15

13 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.

EPHESIANS 6

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,  8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Final Greetings

21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.

23 Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.