Plug in to God's Word

Why does it matter where you get your hope?

Have you ever plugged your phone into an outlet that didn’t work? Like, it was one of those outlets connected to a light switch? It’s the most disappointing feeling ever, especially if you leave your phone to charge and when you come back you realize that it hasn’t charged at all.

Have you ever placed your trust in a person who let you down? Or maybe you were trusting a paycheck or your health insurance to support you in a time of crisis, and it didn’t. It’s disappointing and discouraging and crushing to trust someone or something that will ultimately fail.

When we talk about hope, we don’t often mention the importance of its source. But what good is a power outlet that isn’t connected to a source of electricity?

If you need hope in your life, you have to make sure you are drawing it from a trustworthy source. And that is why we have the Scriptures.

You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.

Psalm 119:114 (NLT)

The Bible is God’s Word to us. It’s His love letter, His index of promises, and the evidence of His faithfulness throughout all of history. (Romans 15:4) God says repeatedly that we have been given the Scriptures so that we can have hope.

Hope in what? God’s promises. Every word He has spoken will never fail and will last forever (1 Peter 1:25).

So… are you plugged in to God’s Word today?

Are you trusting your paycheck to improve your life? Are you trusting your relationships to support you when you’re feeling depressed? Are you trusting your medication to heal you? I’m not saying that you shouldn’t trust those things. God has often provided them for us to use in our lives. But are you trusting ONLY those things? What happens if they let you down?

If the source of your hope doesn’t come from God’s Word and His promises, where does it come from?

Questions for Reflection:

• When was the last time someone you trusted let you down?

• Did that change how you view God?

• Have you told God about what you’re struggling with?

Week 49 Memory Verse: