LIGHT OF HOPE AND HELP (2)

“My soul faints for Your salvation, but I HOPE IN YOUR WORD” – Psalm 119:81

The Word of God is the Unceasing Source of the LIGHT of HOPE and HELP: “My soul faints for Your salvation, but I HOPE IN YOUR WORD” (Psa.119:81). But for the Salvation of the Lord, the troubles in the world especially in contemporary times, are causing souls to faint. Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke concerning these end-times, with “Men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heaven will be shaken” (Lk.21:26). Hope is about expectations of a good future. The world is filled with negative, fearful expectations, while the Word of God floods our hearts and lives with positive, confidence-building expectations.

The psalmist cried out for God to rescue him from his foes who had tried to trap and persecute him unjustly. On the brink of despair, he cried out “like a wineskin in smoke” (v.83). Wineskins are usually soft and flexible, but long exposure to smoke makes them brittle. He felt like one who was about to crack from abuse! Pounding on heaven’s door, he cried out: “Where are you, God? When will you comfort me? How long must your servant wait? When will you punish my persecutors? Rescue me from these troubles, now!” (vv.84-86). God seemed to be silent! But in that season of seeming silence, Hope surfaced: “They almost made an end of me on earth; but I did not forsake Your precepts” (v.87).

Trials often cause men to reject God or turn away from Him. However, the ­trials stoked the psalmist’s passion for growing closer to God by meditating on His Word. Therein he found assurance of unfailing love, which made him want to please God by living an obedient life: “Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth” (v.88). No matter the intensity of life’s struggles or troubles, while we wait on God – resting on His ­promises – we have a choice to grow in following and serving the Lord or to react negatively. In His time, God will answer. The Big Question is: Will we consistently seek Him through His Word and continue to obey while we wait?

Whatever may be life’s challenge or trouble, fainting, losing heart, or losing hope, should not be the Believer’s options. Prayer is the chief antidote against fainting: “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to PRAY and NOT LOSE HEART” (Lk.18:1). We tap into divine strength when we wait on the Lord: “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and NOT FAINT” (Isa.40:31). God’s Word is eternally settled v.89). The world comes with a barrage of troubles, but we can stay sane and stable with hearts settled to receive Help through Hope in God’s Word!