28 Days of Hope – Day 4
God not only gives us a secure identity, but He also wants to walk closely with us. We are in His family forever, and we can enjoy abiding with Him throughout the day. Let these realities recalibrate your view of yourself as you gain a Biblical perspective of God’s hope and how He views you. God likes you and likes being close to you.
Hope is relational. Religion cannot satisfy your soul, but a relationship with God can. It is personal. There is one God, three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We worship, trust, and follow Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We see perfect love and unity within the Trinity. The fullness of the Godhead leads to the fullness of our relationship with God. Father God sent His Son, the Savior of the world, who ascended to heaven after His resurrection. When you decide to follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit now resides in you as a seal and constant presence. God not only left heaven to rescue you but is in you and will never leave or forsake you. The hope of God is indestructible.
These powerful truths remind us that God loves us, and He likes us too. He is thrilled to spend time with us. God values us even more than the land, sky, sea, stars, animals or anything else in the earth. We are His only creations that are made in His image. If you think God hates you, is ambivalent towards you or barely tolerates you, then you will forfeit hope. Maybe you had a parent that you could never please, or a parent who didn’t enjoy you, or a parent who was cruel, or a parent who was absent. God is different. It is time to separate your experiences with your earthly parents from your relationship with your heavenly Father. God invites you to be near to Him because He wants to be near to you. God loves spending time with you and doing life together. Let that sink in and don’t resist that. How does that make you feel?
The Westminster Catechism states that the chief end of mankind is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Because God enjoys us so much, it is good to enjoy Him too. Nearness to God is where you will find the most hope and joy. The Samaritan woman at the well was stunned that a Jewish rabbi and Messiah would draw near and have a conversation with her. Her thirsty soul received the living water of Jesus. There is no better place to be. It is always a good decision to return to God. Hope floods into our minds and hearts when we abide with Jesus. This relationship is 24-7, not merely one hour, day, or place during the week. When you compartmentalize faith, you compartmentalize hope. Abide and abound is God’s will for you. If you abide with Jesus, you will bear much fruit.
Hope Point: We can experience continual closeness to Jesus during the week.
Hope Story: The Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:1-26
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- How does God’s presence and affection bring you daily hope?
- Do you experience the presence of Jesus at work or with your family together at home? Please give examples.
- Are there times, places or activities in your life where Jesus is not fully welcome? Do not write them down but think about this deeply.
- When you pray do you feel as if you are speaking directly to Jesus? Describe how He speaks to you.
PRAYER
God, I praise You today, and my deepest joy is being near You. Thank You for welcoming me and caring for me. My relationship with You is most important in my life, and I want to keep growing in my faith. I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.
28 Days of Hope is a journey together, as we rediscover and recommit to God’s indestructible hope in transformative ways. As you begin this journey, you’ll experience a sense of excitement about what God is going to do. If you have a desire to grow in your faith, strengthen your relationships, gain wisdom, cultivate new habits, experience more peace, and live daily with purpose and passion, then you are in the right place. Just Choose Hope
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