Where Is Now My Hope?

Where now is my hope?  What a question asked by Job in the midst of his trials and tribulations.  Sometimes we use the words “trials and tribulations” in an off-handed way.  We do that sometimes when we pray.  We say “Lord, forgive me of my sins.”  That doesn’t pinch quite as much as saying “Lord, forgive me for that lie I told.”  We are supposed to confess our sins.  It’s the same way with trials and tribulations.  Sometimes the dark side of life takes us by surprise. We should thank God every day for what we’re not going through that others are.  When Jesus deals with us about our sin we realize that “yes, that’s a sin” and we are to go to him in prayer.

Trials and tribulations pull you down and many times it’s okay to ask questions.  Job asked where now is my hope.  Whatever suffering is surrounding you, do you wonder where God is?  We know where he is.  Then we ask where is the hope, the way out?  It’s where it’s always been:  in HIM.  In order to get out you have to get through just like to get out of this church you go through the door.

Job’s friends started comforting him but went to accusing him.  He must have done some awful sin for all this to come upon him.  It’s not what others think about a situation; it’s what God thinks.  Even the devil admitted to God that Job was his servant.  When he went before God he asked him if he had considered “thy” servant Job. He knew Job was God’s.  It’s easy to do like Job’s friends did.  When things are going well in your own life there is a tendency to look at what is bad in other’s lives and point fingers.

Job 17:15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?

I like the way Job says this.  Where is my hope?  People don’t want to admit there is an absence of hope in the world today.  People smile and go on, but those without God have a hard time doing so.  The popular thing is to believe what’s advertised to us.  Everyone has hope.  Follow the latest trend in fashion; act a certain way; believe this.  We see it at all age levels.  Styles usually come out of Europe.  If a clown costume became in style people would wear it and eventually we see it in churches.  It’s crazy.  There is no hope in the world.  It’s all a pretense.  People chase intelligence, technology, popularity and such.  They’re told to follow their heart; hone up your life; be your own hope.  From Genesis to Revelation the Bible teaches us there is no hope unto the wicked.  People pretend all they while they are searching.  If I make enough money….if I drive a certain car…..if I get enough education….if I become well known in the world…There is no hope.  Look at how many celebrities died pathetic lives on overdose of drugs.  Elvis told his friends he had everything but couldn’t buy hope.

Where is our hope?  It can only be found in the Lord.  Are you right with him?  If not, what have you backslid to?  Being part of the in-crowd doesn’t give hope. You cannot stop the aging process.  It doesn’t matter how much you gain financially.  Look at how many have died with this flu.  How many die every day in accidents. They have a heart attack.  Someone sneaks in their home at night, robs and kills them.  Whether these types of things will happen to any of us I can’t say.  I just want to die with hope.

Every one of us is older today than we were last week.  We don’t know when the time will come for the need of hope.  BUT there is no hope for those who have no hope.  Case in point:  the rich man.  Jesus told a story about him.  We don’t know how young or old he was or who he really was.  He had hope as long as he was alive.  Real hope was at his doorstep everyday begging for the crumbs from his table.  That beggar was named Lazarus.  When Lazarus died God sent an angelic escort to take him to heaven.  His hope was in the Lord.  The rich man died.  He then realized he had no hope.  From the flames of hell he saw his hope across the gulf in heaven but could do nothing about it.

We still have a chance for hope today.  The only way we can sleep at night and face the coming day and keep our sanity is through trusting in the Lord and calling on his name.  Romans 15:4 says for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.  Don’t look elsewhere for hope.  It’s in the Word of God.  Pull the plug on the television.  Don’t look on the internet.  Read the Bible.  There is the hope.

Job cried out where is my hope.  The answer is in Romans 15:13.  Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.  If you are in need of hope, call on the Lord.