Truth: The God who made the heavens and the earth is the only source of hope!
A songwriter penned this lyric that addresses the Creator God: “All my hope is in You, Lord …”
I could not agree more. No one and nothing else has ever given me lasting hope for my life. Some, I am sure, are not willing to accept such a concrete declaration, but it’s true … absolutely true!
When I read Jeremiah 13:10 recently, it struck me that hope is assassinated when people posture themselves as ancient Judah did. This nation had witnessed the amazing displays of God’s power and grace multiple times and still allowed itself to be taken in by the gods of its culture.
God speaks to Judah through his preacher Jeremiah and orders him to purchase a new loincloth and wrap it around his waist. Then God tells him to take the loincloth to the river Euphrates, where he is to hide it in a rock cleft for a while, then retrieve it. Upon retrieving it, Jeremiah discovers the cloth has spoiled.
The moisture and dampness in the rock cleft had caused it to mildew. The illustration signified that the close relationship Judah once enjoyed with God had become spoiled by two actions this people had taken. Even more convicting was that Judah felt a pride about itself for the actions taken! Sound familiar?
The two actions that made Judah become like that spoiled, nasty loincloth were a stubbornness to listen to God’s words, choosing to follow their own hearts; and going after other gods instead of honoring and serving the Creator God.
Verse 10 reads: “This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing.”
When it comes to finding and choosing the God who gives real, lasting hope, there is only One, not many — not a multiple choice.
Paul, the apostle of Jesus Christ, who was one of those far away from God, wrote these words in Acts 17:27 about the God of lasting hope: “Yet he is actually not far from each one of us …”
The truth is that God has always been Who He is and where He is. He has not changed or moved. But we have.
I recall a conversation with a dying man who knew death was near. He was disturbed that he had not included God clearly in his life journey and said so. The Lord led me to respond, “You’re not dead yet, are you?” I affirmed that he still had the opportunity to repent and to receive Jesus into his heart — and he did! Hope was ignited!
David Woods is a teaching pastor at Park Chapel Christian Church in Greenfield. This weekly column is written by local clergy members.
