Hoping in the Lord

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Scripture
Psa. 33:18    Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 to deliver their soul from death,
and to keep them alive in famine.

Psa. 33:20    Our soul waits for the Lord;
he is our help and shield.
21 Our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.

Observation

The lead up to this section is about the perceived strength of secular leaders. They look at the size of their army and at their human-made resources and believe that they are powerful. But this is deceptive and enticing. 

The reminder from the Psalmist is that the Lord is watching out for those who fear him. Our hope is not to be in human machinery, political systems or powers. More than any system the world can create, God is our help and our shield. Our joy comes from trusting in “his holy name.” The love of the Triune God is poured out upon those who place their entire hope in the Lord. 

Application

I have to confess that I’m a bit of a news junkie. I follow all kinds of details about the news on a daily basis, reading different sources from around the world just so that I can gain a variety of perspectives. The world in which we live is desperately in need of help in many areas. The question is how we are to engage!

This is a serious concern, for the follower of Jesus Christ is to be in this world, but not to be dependent upon the powers to make change. Instead, the Christ-follower is to put their entire trust in the Lord. We are continually reminded that the Lord is more powerful than any system which the world can create. We are to learn to have a radical dependence upon our Lord as we bathe in God’s steadfast love. It is the steadfast love of God which sustains us in the midst of our difficulties. It is the hope of a miracle when we are in desperate need that can allow us to proclaim, “With God all things are possible!” 

After declaring dependence upon the Lord, the Psalmist leads us into a prayer of trust and hope. We are called to wait for the Lord, not to become anxious for a quick and immediate response. Joy wells up within our hearts and we are glad because we put our trust in God. This creates a sense of peace and relaxation that we all need. Just yesterday a speaker shared with us that anxiety and diagnosed depressive ailments have increased %1000 in the US since WWII. There is genuine mental disease that needs help, but there may also be a need for Christ-followers to learn to relax and put their trust in the Lord. 

It’s time to take a deep breath and spend time in God’s holy presence. There we discover that the joy of the Lord can be our strength and our guide through life. God does care about our circumstances, but wants us to hope wholeheartedly in the Lord. 

Prayer

Lord, thank you for your gentle reminder that you are more powerful than any human system or structure which has been or will be. Today I choose to hope in you!  Amen.


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