Getting through to bed time.

A friend (won't say who incase they don't want people to know), said in an email that they like posts on my blog "best when it relates to life, when it teaches me something I can apply to my everyday battle to make it through to bed time!!"

Thank you for this because it sparked my mind to run. I was thinking; 'what is the greatest hope that can keep us going through all the difficulty, stress, trouble and even joys of the day so we can make it to bedtime?'

In answering this I can only come from one angle; Christ! Pretty much the same thing as most of the posts on my blog!

Why is it that gifts, loved ones, family, friends, cars, houses, books, tv, pets, sports and pretty much anything else that we so often fill our spare time with are defective and often our joy and hope is not fulfilled in them?
Well, the answer is that they are temporary and flawed. As far as people go, they will hurt us, let us down and unfortunately die. In sport we or our teams will not always win, pets will die or cause hastle, cars break down and rust, books generally end, tv really is meaningless at the end of the day and the fictional programs of soaps, films etc that give us entertainment or release for a while have an end and are actually not that personally involved in our lives and though we may find some inspiration there they do not give specific answers for our lives.

So what do I hope in each day, and specifically when difficulties, stress and hurt comes such as the miscarriage my wife had or even just the daily stresses of life?

My answer is that I hope in God, and not just any God because there is only one true God.
Infact whether we acknowledge it our not God is the only source of ability for us to keep going from morning to night. Acts 17:25 tells us that "He [God] gives to all life, breath, and all things" and verse 26 teaches that it is God who even decided where and when we were to be born and live in time and on earth! And again in verse 28 we read "for in Him we live and move and have our being".

So the most basic things we need to get through the day, breath, movement which includes the beat of our hearts, the sight of our eyes, the movement of our jaws giving the ability to eat. And our very life and being finds its source only in God. He could withdraw those graces at any time and we would die or cease to exist if He so pleased, so our basic hopes are in God so we can but live.

As for any further hope of joy our satisfaction even in the midst of difficulties, one verse springs to mind; "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)
What this means to those who love God [Christians], is that God is actively working for good, mainly with two great purposes; His glory and our pleasure in Him. So I know that when I have a bad day on a machine at work or my car breaks it is for my good and God's glory. Work etc teach us about ourselves in certian ways, so when those things we own or have dominion over break or go badly it is relating to us how we are rebelious and broken before God and frustrate Him and annoy Him when we disobey Him. So these problems are good because they point us toward the gospel, they teach us about sin, that we are sinful, disobedient creatures before our maker and that as unrepairable goods are sent to the bin or dump, we who are 'broken' are sent to hell and deserve nothing but anger from God.
So my hope is in God, and I know that no matter what comes, death, loss, illness, unemployement, scandal... whatever, God will use it for my benefit and ultimately I know that after a few years of possible suffering in this life I will go to eternal paradise with Jesus.

But that is hope for the Christian, for lovers of Jesus Christ. So what hope can I offer those who don't love Him? Only one thing!
While you and I are in this life we will face difficulties etc but to those who don't know Jesus there is no hope that 'it'll all work out', it may not, infact things may get worse.

The only hope is the Cross of Jesus Christ, where He took the punishment from God for our sin so that we could be brought into fellowship and friendship and infact be made family with God.
It is only the cross that gives promise of eternity in heaven and only by the cross can we receive God's grace and only by the cross will He work all the dung of life out for good. So I offer Psalm 130 [with a few changes to make it personal].

1 Out of the depths I have cried unto You, O Lord.
2 Lord, hear my voice: let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
3 If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word do I hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning-
7 [Put your] hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is abundant redemption.
8 And he shall redeem [you] from all [your] iniquities