True hope: leave all thy concerns in the hand of a gracious God

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I don't know why this happens, but sometimes at night there is a refrain of a song rolling around in my head. Each time I awaken momentarily, it plays. Over and over. It isn't necessarily a song I've heard recently either, and it's not always a Christian song.

Last night it was Paul Simon's "Mother and Child Reunion". The refrain was

"But I would not give you false hope, on this strange and mournful day..."

I got to thinking about how fortunate I am to know REAL hope. There is no false hope, when one knows THE Hope, Jesus Christ. I will never again be plagued by false hope.

Before I was saved, I always had false hope. That was because I was either hoping for the wrong things, or I was looking for a 'savior' to hope in.

Now knowing Christ, I have true hope. It will never fail. It is sure. Jesus said He would never give us false hope, there was no lie in His mouth! We already benefit from the firstfruits of this Hope, for Jesus rose from the dead. Now, Jesus makes us alive when we were dead in our sins. I am alive, a part of the Living Hope, because of Jesus. We have hope of His power over sin.

Since God raised Jesus from the dead, our resurrection after bodily death is also sure. We have hope in His power over death. Charles Spurgeon's Morning Devotional speaks to everlasting hope: (true hope!)

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Charles Spurgeon
Hope on, hope ever:

"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."—1 Peter 5:7.

It is a happy way of soothing sorrow when we can feel—"HE careth for me." Christian! do not dishonour religion by always wearing a brow of care; come, cast your burden upon your Lord. You are staggering beneath a weight which your Father would not feel. What seems to you a crushing burden, would be to Him but as the small dust of the balance. Nothing is so sweet as to

"For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him." (Ps 62:5, ESV)

O child of suffering, be thou patient; God has not passed thee over in His providence. He who is the feeder of sparrows, will also furnish you with what you need. Sit not down in despair; hope on, hope ever. Take up the arms of faith against a sea of trouble, and your opposition shall yet end your distresses.

There is One who careth for you. His eye is fixed on you, His heart beats with pity for your woe, and his hand omnipotent shall yet bring you the needed help. The darkest cloud shall scatter itself in showers of mercy. The blackest gloom shall give place to the morning. He, if thou art one of His family, will bind up thy wounds, and heal thy broken heart.

Doubt not His grace because of thy tribulation, but believe that He loveth thee as much in seasons of trouble as in times of happiness. What a serene and quiet life might you lead if you would leave providing to the God of providence! With a little oil in the cruse, and a handful of meal in the barrel, Elijah outlived the famine, and you will do the same.

If God cares for you, why need you care too? Can you trust Him for your soul, and not for your body? He has never refused to bear your burdens, He has never fainted under their weight. Come, then, soul! have done with fretful care, and leave all thy concerns in the hand of a gracious God.


Comments

  1. http://dailystudybible.com/Morning_January_6.htm

    Jesus has never refused to bear your burdens, He has never fainted under their weight. ~ Spurgeon

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  2. This posting of Spurgeon's devotional could not have come at a better time. A few weeks ago a family issue arose which, although it does not involve me directly, involves my two adult children and their relationship with their father and has caused a lot of unrest and strife in my life. It has been difficult to find hope, peace, and trust in the midst of the emotional turmoil over this situation. Sometimes I feel like I am hanging on with the barest of threads, but I cling to His word and His promises and His faithfulness through the years. My desire to control the outcome and the process for getting to that outcome is strong, and "casting my care" sometimes feels like I'm not doing something I should be doing. I want to take it back, to make sure all the bases are covered, all the words are said, all the options examined. But I'm learning to let it go into God's loving hands and trust Him for the outcome, for His will to be done. --Linda

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  3. it's difficult sometimes, Linda! But I'm at that place, too. I do not have to "understand" everything or try to manipulate outcomes. I only have to rest in and trust the Lord! May you experience TRUST in Him, too!!

    Totally
    Resting
    Upon (our)
    Savior
    Today!!!

    Elizabeth, music & words to music speak strongly to us! I've been having this happen all year with me as well: where a SECULAR song (one that I don't even want on my noggin!) will play over & over in my head! Soo.... therefore I find the only way I can "knock it outta' there" is to sing an old fashioned hymn!!!

    Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

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  4. silly me ~ I meant the TRUST thing to read:

    Totally
    RELYING
    Upon (our)
    Savior
    Today!!!

    Oh well ~ guess "resting" works, too!! :)

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