Wait With Hope In The Lord

When most people talk about hope, it’s from a sense of optimism that everything will fall into place in their situation. But biblical hope is rooted in God. He alone is where we put our hope. Hope that He will act to liberate us from the bondage of our sins and save us from its consequences. In Psalm 130, the psalmist cried out to God for His forgiveness and His mercy. His hope in God was accompanied by his commitment to wait on the Lord and watch for his deliverance. And his message to Israel was to do likewise. I pray that you will put your hope in the Lord who alone can give you the healing and deliverance that you need. Amen.

Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD;

Lord, hear my voice.

Let your ears be attentive

to my cry for mercy.  (Psalm 130:1-2) The psalmist called to God out of the depths of a situation resulting from spiritual sinfulness.  He prayed that God would hear his plea for mercy from the consequences of this sin.  Are there any among us who have not cried out to God to save us from the pit of our circumstances?

If you, LORD, kept a record of sins,

Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness,

so that we can, with reverence, serve you. (Psalm 130:3-4) Who among us could stand in God’s judgment and live unless we received God’s forgiveness for our sins and trespasses?  That is the question that the psalmist asked.  God knows our sins but the psalmist praised God that He forgives, so that he and others could come back to God to serve Him.  Aren’t you glad that God forgives us?  Do you respond by willingly serving Him?

I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits,

and in his word I put my hope.

I wait for the Lord

more than watchmen wait for the morning,

more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Israel, put your hope in the LORD,

for with the LORD is unfailing love

and with him is full redemption.

He himself will redeem Israel

from all their sins. (Psalm 130:5-8) Ultimately, the psalmist put all of his hope in the Lord for his deliverance.  His hope was demonstrated by his commitment to wait on the Lord and watch for Him to act on the psalmist’s behalf.  The psalmist’s message to Israel was that they also need to put their hope in the Lord.  Because of His unfailing love for them, He would redeem them (buy them back) from the consequences of their sins.  Have you put your hope in the Lord to deliver you from your circumstance?  Wait on Him and watch for Him to act. Don’t miss what He wants to do for you in your life!

The psalmist cried out to God from the depths of his pain.  He was grateful that God is forgiving of the sins of those who put their hope in Him.  He vowed to wait and watch for God’s mercy and redemption from his circumstance. He put all of his hope in God, the one who has all power and who is faithful in his unfailing love toward His people.  Those of us who worship God are to put our hope in the Lord.  True hope in the Lord is shows forth in our commitment to wait for Him to move in our lives and deliver us from whatever circumstance has caused us to cry out to Him. He is our hope, and we watch for Him to act in His own timing and in His own way to redeem us.  What is it that has caused you to cry out to the Lord?  God is faithful to forgive, redeem and restore those who come to Him with repentant hearts.   Whatever your circumstance, put your hope in the Lord…. He is faithful to deliver you. Just wait on Him!  

Blessings, Rev. Glenn