Joy and Hope

Scripture:

Psalm 146:5 "But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God".

Observation:

I have never seen the link between joy and hope. In this scripture, the Psalmist says that those whose hope is in the Lord their God will also have joy because God is their helper. Joy comes from having our hopes, not in ourselves, our money, our brains, etc. Joy comes from having our hope in God.

Application:

From this verse I see that joy and hope are inter-related. They work hand in hand. When we are not joyful, we are probably losing hope. When there is hope, there is also joy. When our hope is in what we can accomplish, it is in the wrong thing and will let us down. When our hope is in the Lord of the Universe, our joy will follow because He is amazing in His love for His people.

Prayer:

Lord, my hope is in You. Thank You for sharing this with me. I feel like it will help when I am counseling someone. You are truly good and always on time. Bless the work of my hands and let Your kingdom grow more today. Fill the church with people who need You today and let them respond to You.

Yours,
Jeff