Psalm 31:24 - Take Courage As You Hope And Wait In The Lord.
Psalm 31:24 (NKJV) Be of good courage, And
He shall strengthen your heart, All you who
hope in the LORD.
Psalm 31:24 (NIV) Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.
WORD STUDY
Hope in the Lord. Literally, wait for the
Lord. Hoping and waiting go hand in hand along the
Christian way. Hope is a tonic to Christian
experience. [SDA Bible Commentary]
COMMENTARY PEARL
"You're the strongest person I know."
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
"Stay strong."
We throw the word strong around as if we
know what it means, just like the word hope.
"I hope things work out." "Hope you have
a good day." "She has high hopes."
Both strong and hope are kind of vogue.
They are nice concepts that make us feel good.
But what is hope? And what does it have to do
with strength?
When I worked at DaySpring Cards, I had a
mentor named Roy. We were talking about addiction
one day, and he said, "I'd like to challenge you
to use the word hope instead of wish. A wish is
a nice thought, but there's no power in
wishing. But hope - hope is grounded in Jesus. We
hope people get well. We hope they are comforted.
We hope their marriage is blessed. Hope matters
because it is attached to Jesus. Wishing blows in
the wind. But hope is strong regardless of the
circumstances."
That conversation has influenced my
thinking ever since. It helped me understand where
strength comes from - which is not from ourselves.
Jesus is the connection between hope and strength.
So when I encourage someone to be strong, it's
not just empty words. I'm saying, "Put your hope
in Jesus." If someone tells me I am strong, I
acknowledge that what makes me strong is that I have
hope in something - Someone - greater than
myself: the One who has overcome the world. Gwen
Ford Faulkenberry
Faith Step: Challenge yourself to use the
word hope instead of wish. Every time you need
strength today, remember the source of our hope "
Jesus - and draw from Him. [Mornings With Jesus
2022 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]
COMMENTARY
Above the Fog of Doubt
Even Christians of long experience are
often assaulted with the most terrible doubts and
waverings You must not consider that for these
temptations your case is hopeless Hope in God, trust
in Him and rest in His promises.
When the devil comes with his doubts and
unbeliefs, shut the door of your heart. Shut your eyes
so that you will not dwell upon his hellish
shadow. Lift them up where they can behold the
things which are eternal, and you will have
strength every hour. The trial of your faith is much
more precious than gold It makes you valiant
to fight the battle of the Lord...
Satan connects with everyone that will
connect with him. If he can get those that have had
an experience in religion, they are his most
effectual agents to reach just such men and compass
their souls with unbelief. You cannot afford to
let any doubts come into your mind. Do not
please the devil enough to tell about the terrible
burdens you are carrying. Every time you do it,
Satan laughs that his soul can control you and
that you have lost sight of Jesus Christ your
Redeemer...
We are to show forth Him who hath called
us out of darkness into His marvelous light. It
is by living faith that we rest in that light.
It is by living faith that we rejoice in that
light every day. We are not to talk our doubts and
trials, because they grow bigger every time we talk
them. Every time we talk them, Satan has gained
the victory; but when we say, "I will commit the
keeping of my soul unto Him, as unto a faithful
witness," then we testify that we have given ourselves
to Jesus Christ without any reservation, and
then God gives us light and we rejoice in Him.
The soul that loves God, rises above the
fog of doubt; he gains a bright, broad, deep,
living experience, and becomes meek and
Christ-like. His soul is committed to God, hid with
Christ in God. {OHC 86} [Pastor Dronen
Devotional]
CLOSING THOUGHT
In John Bunyan's classic, Pilgrim's
Progress, Christian reaches the shores of the
celestial river with his companion, Hopeful. It is
Hopeful who leads the pilgrim to the other side to
the golden city. As Christian crosses the dark,
turbulent river of death, he nearly drowns in the
waves. The water is deep, and he loses his footing.
Whirlpools sweep in circles, and he becomes
disoriented, feeling like he has lost his way.
Nevertheless, Christian keeps holding on to the shoulder
of his steady companion, Hopeful. Hopeful keeps
his eyes on the opposite bank of the river.
Christian may have lost his way, but not Hopeful!
Hope in Christ never disappoints you,
friend. Not in life, and not even at the prospect of
death. If you have lost your footing and find
yourself disoriented, hold on to the shoulder of
Jesus. He is your Blessed Hope, and He knows the
way. In fact, He is the way.
Lord, I'm so grateful to have my hope
centered in You. Everything on this side of heaven is
so uncertain. The world around me changes day
by day; I can feel the very ground shift
beneath my feet. But You are my Hope - now,
tomorrow, and forever. [A Spectacle of Glory by Joni
Eareckson Tada and Larry Libby]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Psalm 31:24 - Courage As You Hope And Wait
In The Lord.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2015/20150209-1230.html
Psalm 27:14 - Waiting With Hope And Trust In
The Lord Will Strengthen You.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2006/20060925-1211.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2011/20110204-1532.html
Romans 15:13 - Hope, Joy and Peace are in a
Relationship with Jesus.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220922-0820.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
