Where is Your Hope?

Where is your hope? Hopefully not in the stock market or money or the government or... yourself. The headlines are full of great examples of sin these days... besides the usual robberies or shootings, we see greed, corruption, fraud, cover-ups and scandals. Many of us will suffer or pay because of the sins of others, and it's just not fair. What's wrong with "those people" anyway? But while we point out their faults, we should also take a look at our own hearts, for "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Sure maybe our sins aren't in the process of destroying capitalism and America as we know it. But sin is sin. We cannot pull ourselves up out of it; we are stuck in the mire of dishonesty, jealousy, hatred, lack of self-control, dishonorable desires, etc. It isn't pretty.

But thanks be to God, we can put our hope in Jesus. (Warning: Here I go clinging to my "religion" - better get a gun in case Obama becomes president and takes away that right!) He has taken care of this sin problem; we just have to trust Him with it. On the cross Jesus took the punishment for our sins, and credited to us His perfectness, bringing us into peace and relationship with God. We can put our hope in Him because He is absolutely trustworthy (unlike so many making headlines these days). So, although the days may look dark and times may get harder, take hope in the assurance that God is real; He is there for you; He is faithful; you are His as you trust Him with your life. God is still good, a refuge in times of trouble, a mighty fortress of strength. Amen.