A Hope That Works On Monday Morning
A warm loaf resting on the counter, a picture of living hope that rises and nourishes real life.
Devotional Credit: In Christ by E. Stanley Jones
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Hope is not wishful thinking dressed in church words. In Jesus, hope has substance. E. Stanley Jones points out that the Christian story redeemed the very idea of hope. Because the cross and resurrection are real, hope is no mirage. The God of hope fills us with joy and peace in believing, so that by the Holy Spirit we abound in hope. That is a present-tense gift with Monday morning traction.
He also reminds me that this world is not meaningless. Life in Christ produces character. Trials are not dead ends. Endurance grows, character deepens, and hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Our future is not a vague someday. The earth itself will be renewed. The King’s prayer, on earth as in heaven, will be answered.
Another anchor lands here. We begin with defeat, the defeat of the cross, which turns into victory. The risen Jesus has overcome the world. That is why Christian hope sings even when circumstances look empty. Not a song of denial, a song grounded in a Person who lives.
So today’s takeaway is gentle and strong. Hope is not a mood I manufacture. Hope is Christ in me, the hope of glory. My part is to trust the One who already conquered and to walk in step with the Spirit who lives within.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I steady your heart in real hope. The God of hope fills you with joy and peace in believing, so that you abound in hope by My power. Endurance produces character, character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint because I have poured the love of God into your heart. Blessed be the Father who has given you new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
I anchor you. This hope is a sure and steadfast anchor for your soul. I am the guarantee of your inheritance. I seal you for the day of redemption. Christ in you is the hope of glory. I remind you that in the world you have trouble, yet take heart, the First and the Last has overcome the world. Thanks be to God who gives you the victory through Jesus.
I train you in the ordinary. Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds, for the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. Do not lose heart. Though the outer self is wasting away, the inner self is being renewed day by day. Fix your eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. Wait for what you do not see with patience. I work all things together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to His purpose.
Walk with Me. Rejoice in hope. Be patient in tribulation. Be constant in prayer. I fill you with power to abound in hope as you abide.
Scripture references: Romans 15:13, Romans 5:3 to 5, 1 Peter 1:3 to 5, Hebrews 6:19, Ephesians 1:13 to 14, 2 Corinthians 1:22, Colossians 1:27, John 16:33, 1 Corinthians 15:57, James 1:2 to 4, 2 Corinthians 4:16 to 18, Romans 8:24 to 28, Romans 12:12.
Real-Life Analogy
Think about a package with a tracking number. The moment the order is confirmed, the updates begin. Label created. Picked up. Out for delivery. You are not guessing. You are waiting with confidence because the purchase has already been made. Christian hope works like that. The indwelling Spirit keeps pointing to what Jesus has secured, and patience grows while the delivery moves toward your door.
Try this today. When a situation feels stalled, pause and look to where Jesus is. Say, Lord, I trust You to live Your life in me and through me in this moment. Then act from quiet confidence. Offer a calm word, take the next small faithful step, and let the indwelling Holy Spirit set your pace.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that in Jesus I have a living hope. Thank You that the cross turned defeat into victory, and that Your Spirit pours Your love into my heart. I receive this day as a place to walk in steady confidence. Joy and peace are mine in believing because You are faithful. Lord, I trust You to live Your life in me and through me in this moment.