Dev: 11/22 - Romans 15:4

For everything that

was written in the past

was written to teach us,

so that through the endurance

taught in the Scriptures and

the encouragement they provide

we might have hope.

Romans 15:4

 

In our pursuit of a definition for hope, we've said that we need to focus upward and forward. 

 

If we want to discover hope, we need to look upward to God -- to his promises, power, and provision -- rather than downward at our broken world's divisions, sin, and strife. 

 

We also need to look forward. Our todays may be filled with pain and trials, but there will come a day when there will be no more mourning or crying or pain and death will be no more. We look upward, because our hope is in heaven. 

 

Third, today's passage says we must look inward ...

 

Wait!!!!

 

I say that jokingly. We don't look inside ourselves for hope. Sure, it takes a little internal fortitude to weather some of life's challenges, but often when we "need" to rely on ourselves the most is when we're at our very weakest -- we're sick, we're dying, we're grieving, we've lost our job, the money is not coming in, our spouse has left us, we're angry and depressed. When we're at our weakest the folly of relying on ourselves is fully revealed. 

 

So ... what do I mean that we need to look inward? 

 

Read today's verse. We need to look IN the Scriptures. This is God's voice. And we need to learn to hear it BEFORE the trials come upon us ... because they will come. 

 

In one short verse, the Apostle Paul tells us that IN the Scriptures we will find several blessings ...

 

·         First, "everything that was written in the past was written to teach us." If you want to navigate this world more wisely, if you want to stay out of many of the trips and traps, if you want to discover the path that points to the Savior, look IN the Book of Life. 

 

·         If you want do discover how to withstand the trials and persecutions that you may have to endure, study the "endurance" of the prophets and apostles. Study the love and "endurance" modeled by Jesus himself! That a second promise found here: "through the endurance taught in the Scriptures ... we might have hope."

 

·         Finally, "through ... the encouragement ... the Scriptures ... provide we might have hope." If you want to find encouragement and fortitude, don't look inside yourself (which is often weakest, precisely when you need yourself most). Rather keep reading scripture. When you find a passage that inspires you, write it down. Memorize it. Or easier still ... join a choir or listen to Christian radio. Did you know that a huge percentage of Christian songs have Scripture at their refrain. You're singing hope, joy, comfort, and encouragement!

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who looks IN and finds

truth and encouragement

in verses like Romans 15:4

(and by the way, truth in a world 

of lies is true encouragement!)