Scripture
Luke 24:21a
“but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.”
Observation
Hope.
Hope can give us strength to carry on during the darkest days and most difficult seasons. Losing hope is enough to defeat the greatest of us, regardless of how well things may be going. These men had ‘hoped’ that Jesus would redeem Israel from the rule of Rome, and now they felt that their hope was gone. Jesus had been crucified, and it was all over and done as far as they could see. The truth was, their hope wasn’t gone–it simply was too small! Christ did come to redeem Israel–not just from Rome, but from sin itself! …and not just Israel, but all of mankind as well!
Application
There have been times that I’ve felt hopeful, and days when all seemed hopeless. No matter how I feel though, hope in Christ is never misplaced. He has a plan and a purpose for me, and He has defeated every enemy–even death! When my hope in Christ does not seem to be fulfilled, He may just be working out the situation differently than I expected…or, my hopes may be too small–and they may need to expand to match the greatness of our God.
Regardless of what I may see with my eyes, He is the God who brings hope. Not empty, shallow hope–but real, dependable, trustworthy hope.
Prayer
God, thank you for hope! Thank you for having a plan and a purpose that is even greater than my hope can currently glimpse. Help me to trust you in every season, and not allow my hope to be shaken by the temporary things that my eyes see.
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