September 20, 2018

He Is Our Hope

Romans 12:12

Lori Lynch
Thursday's Devo

September 20, 2018

Thursday's Devo

September 20, 2018

Central Truth

Because of God’s gift of salvation, we have hope in Him throughout our times of hardship.

Romans 12:12

12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Dive Deeper | Romans 12:12

Patient in tribulation—that’s a hard phrase for me to digest. During hardships, it is difficult to think about how God is going to refine and grow me. My natural inclination is whining, feeling sorry for myself, and waiting for my trials to end.

Paul says we are to “rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope . . . .” (Romans 5:3-4) The Bible reminds us that His plan is bigger than our current situation. Instead of whining, we can be patient in His perfect timing, praying for God to produce fruit in our hardships.

Rejoicing in hope is easier for me than demonstrating patience in tribulation. But Paul's admonition also begs the question: Where is your hope? Is it your job? Your children? Your bank account, friends, home, good health, or success? I often find myself “hoping” in these things; focusing on them, trusting in them, believing they can bring me ultimate peace. I am thankful that God continually reminds me that my Hope is in Christ alone. We are redeemed by Christ. Through Him we “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:2) When we make Him the cornerstone of our life, we have a real reason to rejoice!

We are called to pray constantly. When we seek God through prayer, we are relying on Him. But when we don’t go to Him in prayer, we choose to rely on our own strength, which will fail us miserably. We need to depend on God through prayer in stressful times, and He will give us peace that transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).

Jesus said that “[i]n the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Since He is our hope, when Christians face tribulations, we can have joy because the source of our joy is the eternal life we have in Christ Jesus after death. We have something to look forward to! 

This month's memory verse

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

– Romans 10:13

Discussion Questions

1. Where are you putting your hope? Pray and ask God to reveal anything you are hoping in that isn’t Him.

2. How is your prayer life? Are you constantly talking to God about everything? Or are you relying on your own strength to sustain you?

3. How do you face tribulations? It is with full dependence on God, knowing that He is in control? Or does your faith waver, causing you to put your trust in worldly sources of comfort? Ask God to increase your faith in Him and to fully depend on Him.