The book of Hebrews is a book of hope, faith, and encouragement. Chapter 10:23 says: Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. When I think about hope I am reminded of a favorite hymn of my uncle’s. As you read the words may HOPE ARISE within you

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
In Him, my righteousness, alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

I am so thankful that my hope for this world doesn’t rest on things seen, but rather on things unseen. It is our faith that brings the greatest hope and joy in such uncertain times. It is our hope of eternity that moderates the fear of death and dying. This is a time of turning to faith and the belief that truly – no matter how grim the conditions of the world may look; God hasn’t been taken by surprise. We can trust Him. Life may never return to what we think was ‘normal’, but we can live without fear as we rest in secure relationship with Jesus.

This doesn’t mean we won’t have moments of concern or times of anxiousness. What this means is that in those moments we can turn to our Saviour and receive His peace in the midst of whatever storm you may be in.

The ground around us may be shaking, and it may at times feel like things are so dark that we can’t see His face. But, He hasn’t left us. This is the opportunity to trust Him. To stand on the Rock of our Salvation and declare that our anchor holds, no matter what the storm throws at us.

Standing firm may look a bit different for each of us, depending on our situation. For someone with a terminal illness resting at home, it may be clinging to your hope of eternity, knowing that whether you live or die, you are in the presence of God. For another, who may be a front line worker, it may be trusting that God can keep you, no matter what you face. And for yet another, it may be standing for biblical truth in the face of fierce opposition.

Will we always feel safe? Absolutely not.

The Christian life isn’t about feeling safe

If you think that it is, you haven’t read the New Testament. We are called to be courageous. It’s about standing in truth as the hurricane swirls around us. Feeling and staying safe is an illusion that our culture has put upon us. Our safety and security does not rest in the things of this world, but rather in the assurance that if God is for us, who can be against us.

It is this assurance that compels us to love one another, to pray for the sick, to reach out to those who are down cast, to reconcile others to God, to make disciples, and to stand in the gap for the vulnerable among us.

My prayer for 2021 is that we would all learn to

Stand Firm Walk Cautiously & Live Courageously

Joy in Jesus,

Ann