Hope That Is Anchored in the Scriptures - The Crosswalk Devotional - July 9

Hope That is Anchored in the Scriptures
By Emily Rose Massey

“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4, NASB).

While browsing home décor the other day, I found words of encouragement galore. Signs with words such as “Peace,” “Joy,” “Life,” “Hope,” and “Strength” filled the aisles. Those words uplift the heart but, truthfully, are empty if they are not rooted in the only Giver of those things, God Himself. We cannot find joy, peace, life, hope, or strength apart from God and His Word. We cannot look within ourselves as the source; We must look to Christ, the Word made flesh. As believers, our faith in Jesus Christ is what gives us hope to remain steadfast because we know He is faithful. This hope is what will be our anchor through all. 

This anchor is what holds you to your trust and faith in the Lord. Hope isn’t something that can be created or conjured up. Sure, we can give ourselves a pep-talk when we are feeling downcast or be encouraged by a friend to keep putting one foot in front of the other, but true hope is given to us by the Holy Spirit and He often uses the scriptures to bring us strength and encouragement. He endows us with the faith that God’s promises are true; He is not a liar- He can be trusted completely and that ultimately, His sovereign hand is working in our life; we will not be put to shame.  

Having an eternal perspective lifts your eyes from the cares of this life and helps you move forward when you are going through a storm to remind you that ultimately, this place is not our home; Being heavenly-minded during earthly trials is what fuels your hope in God. Our hearts can be fueled with hope the more we pour over the scriptures and learn more about who God is and what He has promised us in Christ.

Romans 15 tells us:

“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4, NASB).

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Are you finding it difficult to persevere, especially when you are walking through a trial? How often do you fill your soul with scriptures? As mentioned above, the more we read the Bible, the more our heart is filled with hope, and we are given strength to keep putting one foot in front of the other as we keep our eyes on Jesus. 

We eagerly wait for the return of Christ, and the day we will abide with God forever in our heavenly home. No matter how dark things may become around us in our world or in our personal lives, we must ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with hope, which He will do as we continually seek His words in the Bible. We must renew our minds with God’s Word so we will be able to seek and understand God’s perfect will in our lives more clearly. He has a purpose for us to fulfill here on earth and that is to share with others His glorious Gospel so that they may also find the hope that is available to God’s children.

As a child of God, we may feel hopelessness in our hearts, but we must move beyond our feelings and remind our hearts of the great hope we have in Christ. The Holy Spirit can help us in our weaknesses. Let us ask Him for help when hopelessness tries to overwhelm us, moving beyond what we see and connecting ourselves to the hope that is attached to our trust in God’s promise of eternal life in Christ.

Further Reading:

• Romans 5:3-5
• Romans 8:24-25
• 1 Peter 1:3-4

Photo credit: ©GettyImages B-C-Designs

Emily Massey began writing short stories and poetry as a little girl, entered the blogging world in her early 20s, and published her first book in 2015. She enjoys being a stay-at-home momma while still being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Believing she has been forgiven much, she loves much, and desires to point others to Christ and His redemptive and transforming power, especially by sharing truth found in God’s written Word. If you would like to connect with Emily, you can visit www.emilyrosemassey.com

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