Our Living Hope Who Dwells Among Us

God, our Creator, dwells in the midst of us. He is worthy of our praise for His goodness and the fact that He is not just a powerful, distant God. Rather, He is a personal, loving Father who walks with us. The fact that we can come before Him with any and every concern and request is so beautifully astounding. The Lord cares about every detail of our lives, and He responds to us. We do not pray to Him with a worldly form of hoping that He will answer. No, we pray in faith because He is our living hope, our blessed assurance. He is good.

In 1 Thessalonians 1:3 it says, “…remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (ESV). Paul uses the words work, labor, and steadfast. The first two words reveal that it takes intentional effort on our part to live by and in faith and love. We cannot sit idly on the sidelines waiting for God to magically place these qualities of life in our laps. He does increase our faith and love when we come before Him seeking them, but He imparts them to us alongside our personal pursuit of growing in them. We must view ourselves as gardeners alongside the Father – not as spectators.

It is for us to purposefully choose the actions and behaviors that display faith and love because they are steps of obedience. Yet, the process of walking out hope is slightly different. There is an aspect of intentionality with this quality as well, but the Word describes it as remaining steadfastly in hope. The action required is really an act of resting in God. We must place our trust in Him, because He is the hope, and then abide unshakable and immovable in Him, our rock and foundation. Make no mistake. This life will shake and sway around us, attempting to knock us off our feet. But, when we are tethered to Christ, with our eyes fixed on Him, He proves to be our firm foundation that never moves.

This means that we may have to face persecution and trials. It says in verse 6 that the gospel came to the believers in affliction, but it also came with the joy of the Holy Spirit. As Job 2:10 says, “…Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” How can we choose to accept only blessing and not trial from God? No, we must be willing to receive persecution, affliction, and trial with joy because the Lord is worth it. The strengthening of our faith and walk with God is worth it. The example it sets for others and the encouragement it gives them is worth every moment of suffering, trial, or temptation.

Teach us all, Lord, to have this steadfast hope in You like the believers in Thessalonica.

Let the faith of all believers be seen here in Montebelluna and go everywhere throughout Veneto and all of Italy. May our lives be a witness and a testimony to all who look upon us. Draw people to You through our lives and this ministry.