Day Seven: Advent compels us to seek God's Hope precisely (Numbers 23:19)

(Hope found only in Christ)

Day Seven: Advent compels us to seek God's Hope precisely

Numbers 23:19 "God is not man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change his mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?"

In this portion of the Hebrew Scriptures Moses affirms God's fidelity in rhetorical questions. "Of course God will do what He has promised!" is the only true response.

As Christ followers our ἐλπίς*, our hope rests on God's words and in God's Word - our hope therefore is not an "I hope-so" kind of hope, but rather in the nature of an expectation. Our hope is not the "I hope that Toronto wins the Stanley Cup" kind but the "I hope you are planning to clean your room" kind. The latter is a certainty according to mom's will. That is ἐλπίς. That Toronto will win the cup is clearly not so certain; it is more in the nature of fanciful imagination. For the Christ follower the phrase "certain hope" is not a contradiction; it is not an oxymoron - it is precisely what we have in God.

So here is the foundation of our certain hope, our ἐλπίς: "All Scripture is breathed by God." When God breaths and causes His Word to be written we know with absolute certainty that what is written will be done! What God spoke He will fulfill.

We must be clear on this point: the Bible tells the wonderful history of God's redemptive work for His people. Therefore, our hope, our ἐλπίς, our certainty is communicated to us by the Bible. God provided the Bible to communicate our redemption and God's expectation. God wants to, can and will redeem us as we seriously and sincerely follow Jesus. As we turn to Him, we see His love and we know His truth. As we turn to Him we come to feel the Hope known only through the Christ of Christmas.

Ephesians 1:7 "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His Grace that He lavished on us."

Psalm 111:9 “He sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever. Holy and awesome is His Name.”

A Prayer of Great Hope:
Our Father in heaven: You know I am a sinner; Yet I am helpless. I cannot save myself by my works, thoughts or any efforts. I need a Saviour. I surrender - I abandon my attempts to elevate myself and live apart from You who are God alone. I am sorry. I repent. God, please rescue me and restore me. I accept freely Your Love and thank you that Christ’s work is completely sufficient - my sins because of Him have been cast away. I am helpless, but I am not Hopeless because there is You and your promises.

Jesus Christ is my Lord, my Christ, my Saviour, my Hope. Teach me to know the Christ of Christmas. I pray this in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit and in the name of the Christ of Christmas, Jesus. Amen.

(Everything Video) - Pause this at 5:22 ... That is our Hope; that is Christmas: when God steps into our history and we know certain Hope.

If your browser will not play the video within the blog please check it out here: Everything: :Lifehouse

Everything: Lifehouse

(wish I could find this in better quality)

*this is the word translated "Hope" from biblical Greek