{"id":2424,"date":"2024-07-09T11:51:01","date_gmt":"2024-07-09T15:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/myjourney\/?p=2424"},"modified":"2024-07-09T11:51:01","modified_gmt":"2024-07-09T15:51:01","slug":"how-can-we-grasp-the-hope-of-gods-promise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/myjourney\/2024\/07\/how-can-we-grasp-the-hope-of-gods-promise\/","title":{"rendered":"How Can We Grasp the Hope of God’s Promise?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Photo by Ronak Valobobhai<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Our world tells us to \u201cgrab for all you can get.\u201d God calls us to grasp the hope of his promise, \u201cwhich is a safe and secure anchor for our whole being\u201d (Hebrews 6:19<\/a>)!<\/p>\n

Scripture:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/h3>\n \ Micah, chapters 1-4; Hebrews, chapter 6<\/p>\n Hebrews 6:13-20 (CEB):<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n**** ** When God gave Abraham his promise, he swore by himself since he couldn\u2019t swear by anyone greater. He said, \u201cI will certainly bless you and multiply your descendants.\u201d So Abraham obtained the promise by showing patience. <\/em><\/p>\n ** People pledge by something greater than themselves. A solemn pledge guarantees what they say and shuts down any argument. When God wanted to further demonstrate to the heirs of the promise that his purpose doesn\u2019t change, he guaranteed it with a solemn pledge. So these are two things that don\u2019t change, because it\u2019s impossible for God to lie. <\/em><\/p>\n ** ****He did this so that we, who have taken refuge in him, can be encouraged to grasp the hope that is lying in front of us. This hope, which is a safe and secure anchor for our whole being, enters the sanctuary behind the curtain. That\u2019s where Jesus went in advance and entered for us, since he became a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.<\/em><\/p>\n Observations:<\/strong> Patiently Grasp the <\/em>Hope<\/em><\/h3>\n The story of Abraham was familiar to the people to whom Hebrews was addressed; they traced their ancestry back to him. God had promised to Abraham to bless him and make him a great nation (Genesis 12:1-3<\/a>).\u00a0 Abraham\u2019s challenge was that at the time God promised that, he was 75 years old and had no children! So Abraham obtained the promise by showing patience<\/em> \u2013 he grasped the hope of God\u2019s promise.<\/p>\n Why was Abraham able to show patience? Because \u201cAbraham had faith in God\u201d (Romans 4:3<\/a>). The first step toward the fulfillment of God\u2019s promise \u2013 the birth of Isaac \u2013 happened 25 years after God\u2019s promise! The ultimate fulfillment, of course, didn\u2019t come until the birth of Jesus almost 2,000 years later. It is through Jesus that \u201call the families of earth\u201d have been blessed by God (Genesis 12:3<\/a>). Abraham didn\u2019t see that ultimate fulfillment, but he did see God\u2019s first step \u2013 by showing patience.<\/em><\/p>\n Grasp the Hope of God\u2019s Promise<\/em><\/h3>\n Later in Hebrews, the author will tell us: \u201cFaith is the reality of what we hope for<\/strong>, the proof of what we don\u2019t see\u201d (Hebrews 11:1<\/a>, emphasis added). Because we trust God\u2019s promise, we believe in what we hope for \u2013 a home in God\u2019s eternal kingdom. We have the advantage of living \u201cdownstream\u201d from the coming of Jesus, but we still need to have patience. When we think of God\u2019s promises and God\u2019s faithfulness, we can be encouraged to grasp the hope that is lying in front of us.<\/em><\/p>\n Grasping that hope requires faith, because we can\u2019t see the final result. Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don\u2019t see. But we can see the pointers along the way! We see the historical pointers in the life of Jesus, and in the lives of those who have gone before us. Hebrews 11<\/a> famously gives us numerous examples of those who patiently served and endured as they waited for the hope that they couldn\u2019t yet see. We can draw on our own experiences, the ways that God has worked in us and for our good. We don\u2019t see the final result yet, but we can be encouraged to grasp the hope!<\/em><\/p>\n Application:<\/strong> Grasp the Hope in Front of Us<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n*********** ** ***********We need to understand the fundamental tension between grasping the hope<\/em> and showing patience.<\/em>\u201cGrasping\u201d is not usually a \u201cpatient\u201d act! So how do we balance the two?<\/p>\n By remembering who is in control.<\/strong> We have hope because of God, not because of ourselves. Our hope is grounded in God\u2019s promise, not in our activities. Now, what we do is important. Earlier in chapter 6, the author of Hebrews says: \u201cBut we desperately want each of you to show the same effort to make your hope sure until the end<\/strong>. This is so you won\u2019t be lazy but follow the example of the ones who inherit the promises through faith and patience<\/strong>\u201d (Hebrews 6:11-12<\/a>, emphasis added).<\/p>\n Our actions demonstrate the depth and sincerity of our faith. If we really believe what we say we believe, it ought to make a difference in the way we live! Jesus himself said it this way: \u201cNot everybody who says to me, \u2018Lord, Lord,\u2019 will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter\u201d (Matthew 7:21<\/a>). He also said, \u201cWhy do you call me, \u2018Lord, Lord,\u2019 and don\u2019t do what I say?\u201d (Luke 6:46<\/a>). Grasping the hope<\/em> means living by faith \u2013 doing what God calls us to do!<\/p>\n Prayer:<\/strong><\/h3>\n************* ** *************Father, forgive us for the times when we have not lived in accordance with what we say we believe. Give us the faith to grasp the hope in front of us, while patiently waiting for you to do what only you can do. As we remember that you are in control, we can trust in your promises. <\/em><\/p>\n When we start to feel discouraged, give us the peace and the patience that are fruits of your Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23<\/a>). Help us to follow the example of those who have gone before us, that we may glorify you.\u00a0 Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Our world tells us to \u201cgrab for all you can get.\u201d God calls us to grasp the hope of his promise, \u201cwhich is a safe and secure anchor for our whole being\u201d (Hebrews 6:19)! Scripture:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Micah, chapters 1-4; Hebrews, chapter 6 Hebrews 6:13-20 (CEB): When God gave Abraham his promise, he swore by himself since […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4741,"featured_media":2421,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[300],"tags":[521,1740,608,1737,539,468],"class_list":["post-2424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spiritual-formation","tag-faith","tag-faith-prompts-action","tag-fruit-of-the-spirit","tag-grasp-the-hope","tag-patience","tag-peace-of-god"],"yoast_head":"\nHow Can We Grasp the Hope of God's Promise?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Our world tells us to "grab for all you can get." 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