“…in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” –Paul, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, NIV

God is God alone.  We are not God. 

God knows our hearts and His purpose for His created beings as we well know from reading His Word and listening to His Holy Spirit.  But God also knows when we are approaching a breaking point—even before we know it!  God stands ready to deliver trusting believers at that exact moment of need by exchanging our weaknesses for His strength coupled with His power working in us. 

Why?  Hope rises within us as we trust Him in our weakness!  In fact, Hope cannot be contained within us—we must serve others in need of Hope because we know the reason for Hope!  Our testimony as we serve, helping other, extends God’s Hope to others!  And this Hope has a name! He is called Jesus, Savior and Lord!

“Jesus said, “I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You’ve even seen him!” –Jesus, John 14:6-7

Romans 15, The Message

^1-2 Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?”

^3-6 That’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out. “I took on the troubles of the troubled,” is the way Scripture puts it. Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus!

^7-13 So reach out and welcome one another to God’s glory. Jesus did it; now you do it! Jesus, staying true to God’s purposes, reached out in a special way to the Jewish insiders so that the old ancestral promises would come true for them. As a result, the non-Jewish outsiders have been able to experience mercy and to show appreciation to God. Just think of all the Scriptures that will come true in what we do! For instance:

Then I’ll join outsiders in a hymn-sing;
I’ll sing to your name!

And this one:

Outsiders and insiders, rejoice together!

And again:

People of all nations, celebrate God!
All colors and races, give hearty praise!

And Isaiah’s word:

There’s the root of our ancestor Jesse,
    breaking through the earth and growing tree tall,
Tall enough for everyone everywhere to see and take hope!

Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Be a choir of Hope to the hopeless with Jesus!  Those who are strong in faith are called to help those who are struggling and feeling hopeless.  We are the hands and feet of Jesus who can help by God’s strength in us in tangible ways while telling of the Hope of Jesus while we help.  “Strength is for service—not status”, says Paul.  Oh church, read that again.  Because we are strong in faith at the moment does not mean we are better than those we help, it means God is blessing us with His character traits, being more like Jesus, so we will serve like Jesus.  Jesus walked this earth, not only observing the hopeless but delivered them with generous helpings of healing and Hope—Himself!  It is Jesus who changes everything!

“I hope it works out for you”, “I hope you find what you’re looking for”, “I hope it turns out not to be as bad as you think.”  We admit, we say this with mostly good intentions.  But, think about it, when we hear or use phrases like these they’re actually loaded with hopelessness. Even though our hearts can be in the right place when we say them, they often form a significant part of our response to situations where it seems that there’s very little hope. While there’s something to be said for aspirational affirmations – vocalizing what we we’re working towards, it’s also fitting that out of hopelessness comes hope – even if it does take and need some work.

Authentic hope requires us to do more than just say the word in a bid to make ourselves or others feel better. If we want to genuinely “hope” for something, we need to understand what that means. Here are some Bible verses that can help.

• Psalm 3:2-6 – Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.
• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
• Romans 15:13 – May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Hope – a four letter word of rescue, for those who know the stifling constraints of a situation that seems utterly hopeless. Hope – the sure knowledge of a future in heaven with a loving heavenly Father. Jesus is Hope.  Jesus delivers Hope through us as we helpfully serve the hopeless in Jesus Name.

Need more Hope?

• Mark 5:35-36 – While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
• Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
• Job 11:18-19 – You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, and many will court your favor.
• Psalm 147:11 – The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.

Yes, Hope and strength—Both rise up to help us in our need and service of love!  That’s who God is and what He does!

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord,
we will wait upon the Lord,
we will wait upon the Lord.

Our God, you reign forever.
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer.

You are the everlasting God,
the everlasting God.
You do not faint,
you won’t grow weary.

You’re the defender of the weak,
you comfort those in need.
You lift us up on wings like eagles.

(Brenton Brown and Ken Riley) 

Lord,

Thank you for your strength given to serve.  Thank you for Hope that replaces all our fears. Fill us with Hope!

In Jesus Name, Amen

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name…