Hope

“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” Psalm 39:7 (NIV) We always look to things in the world for hope. It seems that those things are always changing from day to day, and they never give us lasting hope. If we would only remember that Jesus came to live with humankind to teach us God’s ways — so we will know that true Hope is only in Him. Hebrews 13:5b says, “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (NIV). He gave us salvation, the forgiveness of sins, when He hung on the cross and died. He loves us so much that He died for us. When His work of saving us was done, He said, “It is finished.” On the third day, He rose again so we could have the gift of Hope when we believe on God’s one and only Son, Christ Jesus. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV). Jesus was sacrificed for all our sins, to set us free from the penalty of sin. When we accept Him as our Savior, we can place our hope in Him. The Hope He gives is free to us, though it cost Him greatly. But we need to believe and turn away (repent) from our sins. Psalm 33:18 says, “The eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love” (NIV). May God always remind us of the Hope He gave us in His Son’s life. He gave us salvation, and we can Hope in Him, the one and only begotten Son of God. He takes the chains of bondage from us, gives us the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit, to love others as God loves us. — Ed Bird   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org