EPHESIANS 1:
15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
DAY 25—Hope that Holds Back Shame |
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Sometimes we make a confession before others concerning our faith, and then there seems to be no response from God. We are left embarrassed before those who heard our confession. The Psalmist seemed to know something about this.
Psalm 119:116—Uphold me according unto Thy Word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.
And let me not be ashamed of my hope. The Psalmist spoke of his hope as founded on God’s Word, and now he begs for the fulfillment of that Word that his hope might be justified in the sight of others. A man would be ashamed of his hope if it turned out that it was not based upon a sure foundation. We might be ashamed of our thoughts, our words, or our deeds that spring from ourselves. But we never need be ashamed of our hope when it springs from the Word of the Lord our God.
Our nature is frail. We have no sure hope unless it is continually upheld by God’s grace. Thus, we move on, praying with the man of God who uttered the preceding prayer.
Psalm 119:117—Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto Thy statutes continually.
The word statute makes reference to the prescribed boundaries the Lord has set for our lives. When we go beyond these, we become transgressors. When we remain within the limits He has set for us and walk according to the decree He has ordered for us, our hope gains strength. Then our faith, in making supplication before His Throne, becomes certain and sure. And, oh yes, our joy finds new ground on which to rest in peace.
FATHER, hope is becoming a more sure thing in my life than ever it has before. I am finding the joy of walking within the boundaries You have set for me. And, my joy is increasing as I find new realms of obedience to Your will! Never did I know there could be this kind of joy, that joy of walking in full trust and obedience to Your will.
And, DEAR FATHER, I am finding that hope is now growing in me—at last! It is growing in my heart and touching all my life. Now, please let this hope, born of Your Spirit, become strong in these whose names I call before Your Throne.
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