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J A N UA R Y 2015You are Godmy Savior, andmy hope is inyou all day long.Psalm 25:5Hope in God:The Source of Our Strength
Moody Bible Institute Founder’s Week 2015This conference, held every year in Chicago since 1901, features an outstandinglineup of prominent Christian teachers, speakers, and musicians offering lifetransforming Bible teaching. Free and open to the public, this year’s conference takesplace on February 2–6 and will focus on the inspiring theme of Running the Race.For more information, please call 1-800-DL MOODY or visit www.foundersweek.org.Online and on the AirIf you can’t join us in person, we invite you to watch conference sessions live onlineat www.foundersweek.org or listen on your local Moody Radio station. To see a listof Moody Radio stations, visit www.foundersweek.org. Audio and video recordingsof conference sessions will be available online after the conference ends.
Uplifting Worship and Biblical MessagesGrow in your knowledge and love for Jesus Christ as you learn from some of thebest Christian leaders and expository Bible preachers. Be energized and inspiredto live more fully for the Savior.Voddie BauchamPastor of TeachingGrace FamilyBaptist ChurchSpring, TXChristopher BrooksCampus DeanMoody TheologicalSeminaryPlymouth, MIDaniel CarrollProfessor of OldTestamentDenver SeminaryDenver, COBryan ClarkSenior PastorLincoln BereanChurchLincoln, NENancy Leigh DeMossAuthor andRadio HostRevive Our HeartsNiles, MIMike FabarezSenior PastorCompass BibleChurchAliso Viejo, CARon HutchcraftPresidentRon HutchcraftMinistriesHarrison, ARBilly KimChairman, Far EastBroadcastingCompanySuwon, South KoreaDavid JeremiahSenior PastorShadow MountainCommunity ChurchEl Cajon, CAErwin LutzerSenior PastorThe Moody ChurchChicago, ILPam MacRaeAssociate ProfessorMoody Bible InstituteChicago, ILJosh McDowellFounderJosh McDowellMinistryPlano, TXPaul NyquistPresidentMoody Bible InstituteChicago, ILRamesh RichardPresident, RameshRichard Evangelismand Church HealthDallas, TXJohn TrentGary D. ChapmanChair of Marriageand Family MinistryMoody TheologicalSeminaryMusic provided by Tim Stafford, MoodyBible Institute Music department ensembles,Sara Groves, and Rend Collective.Phil VischerFounderJellyfish LabsWheaton, ILTim StaffordPastor of MusicMinistriesThe Moody ChurchChicago, IL
TODAY WITH PAUL NYQUISTPresident of Moody Bible InstituteFinding HopeFor professionalbaseball player JoshHamilton, life was arollercoaster ridefrom success tohopelessness. HisMLB career andpersonal relationships were being destroyed by alcoholand drug addiction. He entered rehabsix times before Jesus changed his life.“I’m proof that hope is never lost,” saidJosh in an interview with ESPN. “I havea mission now. My mission is to be theray of hope . . . the guy who lets peopleknow it’s never completely hopeless.”When interacting with fans after agame, Josh uses the opportunity to talkabout Jesus.In the Bible, the word hope is not merelya wish to get our lives under control.Hope is defined as the trust we place inGod. The object of our hope is important. We place our hope in God andrely on His promises to us.In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word forhope is yachal. It conveys the idea ofwaiting, being patient, enduring. Againand again, God’s people needed to waitand trust in the Lord to act on theirbehalf. The Israelites relied on God todeliver them from enemies and assurevictory in battle. The Psalms containmany expressions of hope in whichGod’s people ask Him to remember His1-800-356-6639promise to be present and faithful. InPsalm 40:1, David expresses this kind ofsteadfast hope: “I waited patiently forthe LORD; and He inclined to me andheard my cry.”In the New Testament the Greek word forhope, elpis, is often associated withlooking toward Christ’s return and thesecurity we have in knowing that Jesus’sacrifice has secured our eternal future.We place our hope in Christ and lookforward, with assurance and joy, to whatthe apostle Paul describes as the “hopelaid up for you in heaven” (Col. 1:5).This kind of hope will change our lives. Ourlives are no longer marked by weariness,doubt, fear, and self-destruction. Evenwhen we go through difficult circumstances,we can be assured of the hope we placeand find in Christ alone. Scripture tells usthis type of hope results in joy (Rom. 12:12)and boldness (2 Cor. 3:12).The more we cling to Jesus, the more ourlives will be characterized by hope. Whenwe live each day in the hope of Christ’sreturn, it impacts our words, our actions,even our state of mind. In Christ, we finda hope that pulls people out of addictionand despair. This hope can repairrelationships. God, our hope and ourredeemer, never changes. As the writerof Hebrews so well expresses, “Thishope we have as an anchor of the soul”(6:19).
THEOLOGY MATTERSby John KoesslerWords of HopeFew statements in the Gospels are aschilling as Jesus’ cry from the crossrecorded in Matthew 27:46 and Mark15:34: “My God, my God, why have youforsaken me?” These words seem to be acry of despair. But upon closer examination, the context reveals that they areactually an expression of hope.mysterious way in their actions (Luke23:34; cf. Acts 4:27–28). Jesus’ promise tothe repentant thief that he would join Himin paradise that very day is proof thatJesus was confident of life after death(Luke 23:43). What is more, it is evidence of Jesus’ power to grant eternallife and confer a kingdom.The fourth of seven utterances from thecross, this is actually a quotation of Psalm22:1. By identifying Himself with thesuffering of the one described there, Jesusalso implicitly identified with the affirmation of Psalm 22:24: “For he has notdespised or scorned the suffering of theafflicted one; he has not hidden his facefrom him but has listened to his cry forhelp.” The psalm is a cry of anguish, but itis also a confession of faith that expressesthe psalmist’s expectation of deliverance(Ps. 22:25). When Jesus made these wordsHis own, He pointed to the hope ofresurrection.This song of faith rises to a crescendo withthe last two statements. One is a shout ofvictory: “It is finished” (John 19:30). Somecommentators point out that accountantsused this same term to mean “paid in full.”Perhaps it also alludes to Genesis 2:2,linking Christ’s suffering with the work ofGod in creation and pointing to His role as“the Lamb who was slain from the creationof the world” (Rev. 13:8). Jesus’ last wordsfrom the cross were an expression of trustby which He committed His spirit into thehands of the Father (Luke 23:46).This theme of hope is also reflected inseveral of the other sayings that surroundChrist’s quotation of Psalm 22:1. Jesusasked the Father to forgive those whocrucified Him, a request that not onlyrevealed His pity but also acknowledgedthat God Himself was at work in someNow that Christ has completed His work,His prayer has become our prayer. Wecan commend our lives into the hands ofthe Father because we have the exampleof Jesus, and we know that God wasfaithful to deliver Him through theresurrection. We can have hope as webreathe our last because Jesus wasfaithful to His last breath.For Further StudyTo learn more about Christ’s sayings from the cross, read The Seven Last Words fromthe Cross by Fleming Rutledge (Eerdmans).w w w.to dayintheword.com
FROM THE EDITORSby Elena MafterThrough the Years with Today in the WordIt seems that only recently we celebratedthe 25th anniversary of Today in the Word.Now we are already looking forward toour next milestone. In two years we’ll markour 30th anniversary—an achievement forany print publication, especially in the ageof the Internet.Today in the Word started in 1988under president Joseph Stowell, with theFebruary issue, called “Learning from BibleCharacters.” From that premiere issue untilnow, many outward features of ourdevotional changed: layout, design, cover,fonts, and people who work on it. But onefoundational premise remained the same:dedication to the study of the Word ofGod in a community of Moody’s friends.Our mission statement hasn’t changedmuch from the beginning: “Today in theWord provides its readers with solidbiblical content and study, models MoodyBible Institute’s mission and goals, andoffers tangible value—all intended tominister to Moody’s partners and to investin a reciprocal relationship with them.”Over the years, Today in the Word offeredits readers hundreds of topical, character,and book studies from the Bible, coveringevery book in the Word of God severaltimes. We’ve also created the Best of Todayin the Word volumes for our 20th and 25thanniversaries, as well as the 4-volume setThrough the Bible with Today in the Word.We hope you enjoyed our mini-devotionsfor Christmas and Easter, He is Born and HeIs Risen, and the latest—The Newborn King.1-800-356-6639I have the privilege to be a part of theToday in the Word team. This team is notonly the people on the masthead. Weconsider you, our reader, a key memberof this team. One of Today in the Word’sgoals from the beginning was to create“a reciprocal relationship” with our readers.And today, this relationship, coupled withour readers’ prayer and financial support,remains vital for our devotional. It was ourreaders’ support that made each andevery issue possible. Thank you!At the beginning of every year we make theNew Year resolutions, which tend to fizzleout by the middle of February. Dearreaders, together we can make the bestresolution this year and keep it: to study thetimeless—and timely—Word of God everyday and live it. We hope Today in the Wordwill help you make this resolution possible,and maybe even easy. Happy New Year!Today in the Word at a GlanceWAYS TO READ TODAY IN THEWORD: Print, website, daily email,Facebook, TwitterWAYS TO CONTACT TODAY IN THEWORD: Letter, weblink, email, phone callNUMBER OF PRINT READERS: 150,000NUMBER OF EMAIL READERS:13,000 NUMBER OF WEB READERS: 43,000 NUMBER OF PRISONS TODAY IN THEWORD IS SENT: 600
VOLUME 28 ISSUE 1EXECUTIVE EDITORPaul B. CurrieMANAGING EDITORHeather MoffittASSOCIATE EDITORHope in God: The Source of Our StrengthElena MafterCONTRIBUTING EDITORSJohn KoesslerJamie JanoszWRITERHeather Moffitt1-800-DL MOODY (356-6639)www.moodyglobal.orgPRESIDENTJ. Paul NyquistPROVOSTJunias VenugopalEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTAND CHIEF OPERATINGOFFICERSteven MogckSENIOR VICE PRESIDENTGreg R. ThorntonCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERKen HeulittVICE PRESIDENTSLarry DavidhizarJim ElliottBruce EverhartChristine GorzJohn A. JelinekCollin G. LambertFrank W. Leber Jr.Paul SanthouseJames SpencerJanet StivenDebbie ZelinskiThemes of hope have inspired artists and poets forgenerations, including the marvelous nineteenth-centuryAmerican poet Emily Dickinson:“Hope is the thing with feathersThat perches in the soulAnd sings the tune without the wordsAnd never stops at all.”This month in Today in the Word, we’ll make our journeylooking at hope as the source of our strength. We’ll takethe only sure way to find hope—faith in God—throughthe pages of the Word of God. We’ll look at the pitfalls offalse hope, we’ll marvel at the faith of the psalmist, we’llrejoice in the ultimate hope of eternal life, and we’ll alsostudy the fruits of renewed hope in our lives. Throughoutour study, we’ll see that Christ, “the Way, the Truth, and theLife,” is the hope of the nations.We pray, as you study the Bible with Today in the Word,you’ll be encouraged by our hope in the eternal God “asan anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Heb. 6:19). Wepray that the lamp of His Word will burn brightly in yourlife. Thank you for your love for the truth of the Bible andfor supporting the ministry of Today in the Word!TRUSTEE CHAIRMANJerry B. JenkinsTRUSTEESChristopher DenisonT. Randall FairfaxThomas S. FortsonManuel GutierrezJ. Paul NyquistBervin C. PetersonDavid SchipperJulianna SlatteryPaul Von TobelMark WagnerRichard E. WarrenRichard YookTRUSTEE EMERITUSPaul JohnsonMoody Bible Institute is the sole publisher of Today in the Word, copyright 2015 by Moody Bible Institute. All rights reserved. Please direct all Todayin the Word inquiries to Donor Resource Management, 820 N. LaSalle Blvd.,Chicago, IL 60610. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New InternationalVersion , NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TMUsed by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture taken fromthe New American Standard Bible , Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968,1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used bypermission. Printed in the U.S.A. Today in the Word is published monthly.Printed on 30% recycled paper.www.todayintheword.com
Read: Proverbs 11Thursday, January 1The False Hope of the WickedHappy New Year! How are you celebrating today? Some are feelingtired from parties that went into thewee hours; other people gatheredfor Watch Night services to pray pastmidnight. Some are taking stock oftheir lives and making resolutions forthe year ahead; others are reflectingon the year that has justpassed and savoring speHopescial memories.corners to get ahead—to cheat “just alittle” on our income tax forms or tospread “just a little” rumor in order toget ahead at the office. Verse 1 remindsus that the Lord despises all of ourattempts to use “dishonest scales.”Hope in our own ingenuity or advantage is ultimately false hope.TheoriginalHebrewlanguage of verse 7 isdifficult to translate intoThe beginning of a newEnglish. The NIV translatesyear often encouragesthis as “Hopes placed inpeople to think about life,mortals die with them;and that can be a goodall the promise of theirthing if we direct ourpower comes to nothing.”Proverbs 11:7focus toward what GodThe ESV translates thissays in His Word aboutverse, “When the wickedour lives. This month wedies, his hope will perish,will study the theme of hope, and we and the expectation of wealth perisheswill examine the location and results too.” Both of these translations point toof godly hope. We’ll begin this month, an important reminder: False hope endshowever, with seeing what Scripture at death. Hope that is placed in powersays about false hope.ful people or wealth or prestige cannotsurvive, and it cannot save. As we conOur reading today is filled with warn- tinue our study, we’ll see how greatlyings against the false hopes of the this contrasts with our hope placedwicked. It can be tempting to try to cut in God!placedin mortals diewith them; all thepromise of theirpower comesto nothing.Apply the WordPray with UsThe beginning of the new year is a wonderfultime to examine where your hope is placed. Areyou trusting in a political party to make lifebetter? Or hoping that the stock market will meetyour needs? Pray that the Lord will use our studythis month to shape and direct your hopestoward Him and to show you how godly hopetransforms our lives for eternity.We’d like to start the year bypraying for Moody trustees—both individually (their namesare on page 5 of this issue) andas a team. Pray for wisdom inthe decisions they make aboutthe future of Moody ministries.6 Moody Bible Institute
Read: Psalm 62Friday, January 2Do Not Trust in RichesDuring 2000 to 2001, the U.S. econo- into a false sense of complacency, butmy endured what has been called the they are a poor measure for our lives.dot-com bubble. Many technology In the sight of God, what does it meancompanies, most of which had never to “lowborn” or “highborn” (v. 9)? Hemade a profit, began offering the is not impressed by our social standingpublic a chance to buy shares of their or tax bracket.stock, and the value of the companies skyrocketed in the short term. A The antidote to the false hope in richesfew founders becamecan be found throughoutfabulously wealthy. Butthe rest of this psalm.then the bubble burst,Unlike the stock market,Though richesthe share prices plumGod is our rock and salincrease, do not setmeted, and many of thevation (vv. 2, 6). Unlikecompanies went bankyour heart on them.our retirement savings,rupt—along with theirGod provides rest andPsalm 62:10investors. One financialcomfort for our deepestjournalistwondered,needs (vv. 1, 5, 8). Unlike“Did the kids [the dotcomall the gold and jewelsentrepreneurs] dupe the establishment of the world, God can never be takenby drawing them into fake companies, away from us.or did the establishment dupe the kidsby introducing them to Mammon and Verses 11 and 12 provide the key tocharging a commission on it?”by tellingtelling usus twotwo esesshaping our hope bysential things about God: He has allRiches can be fleeting, which means power, and He has unfailing love. Ourthat trusting in riches is foolish. No God is capable of being a refuge forfinancial advisor in the world can of- us, and He also cares for us. He is thefer eternal security. Psalm 62 reminds only st.us that status and wealth can lead usApply the WordPray with UsJesus answered whether to put our hope inGod or in money: “Store up for yourselvestreasures in heaven, where moths and vermindo not destroy, and where thieves do not break inand steal” (Matt. 6:20). How can you store uptreasures in heaven this year? To remind youwhere to put your trust, write down Matthew6:19–24 on a notecard.Dr. Junias Venugopal, provostand dean of Education,requests your prayer supportfor our students on all threeMoody campuses: in Chicago,IL; Spokane, WA; andPlymouth, MI. Pray for a goodstart of the spring semester.To day in the Word 7
Read: Jeremiah 23Saturday, January 3False Teachers Cannot Be TrustedFloridapastorCharlesLawrence toward sin instead of a right relationshipKennedy had a wonderful message: with God (v. 17); they claim that their ownGod had led him to an investment opinions are really messages from Godopportunity that would turn 1,000 into (vv. 31–32). 1,000,000 in just 90 days. He wanted toinvite others to join him in the investment. God takes seriously the deception ofJust think of all the money they could give these false prophets. Repeatedly throughto charity with their earnings! It turned out out this chapter He reminds them of thethat this was just a Ponzijudgment they will face forscheme, and most of thetheir arrogance and sin. AtThey fill you withmoney went to Kennedy’sthe end of the discoursefalse hopes. Theyown pockets. In OctoberGod declares, “I will surelyspeak visions from2013 Kennedy pled guiltyforget you and cast you outtheir own minds,to wire fraud; prosecuof my presence” (v. 39).tors estimate his fraudulentnot from theprofits at 5 million.But in the middle of thismouth of the Lord.angry denunciation of theJeremiah 23:16Our reading for today isfalse prophets, God alsoan extended discourse ofmakes the promise of OneGod’s anger directed toin whom we can trust completely. The Kingward false prophets. Notice the variety was coming who “will reign wisely andof ways that these religious leaders have do what is just and right in the land” (v. 5).deceived God’s people. Their own lives When we are surrounded by false prophare characterized by adultery and sinful- ets who make false promises and liveness (vv. 11, 14); they pollute the teaching of immoral lives, we can remember that weGod with the false worship of Baal (v. 13). can trust King Jesus. He is always trueThey proclaim a message of complacency and always faithful.Apply the WordPray with UsIt can be disheartening to hear stories of corruptpreachers and false teachers. Sadly, they arenothing new. But we can rejoice that we know theOne who is “the way and the truth and the life”(John 14:6). When we place our hope in Jesus, wehave access to the truth about God and we haveeternal life with Him. Praise Jesus today for Hisperfect righteousness in which we can trust!During the next three days,we invite you to pray for thefaculty and staff of MBI–Spokane. Today, please includein your prayers the Spokaneadministration: Jack Lewis,Wendy Liddell, DanielChurchwell, Nathanael Schey,and Jaclyn Parrott.8 Moody Bible Institute
Read: 1 Timothy 6:3–19Sunday, January 4Choose Eternal Inheritance, not Earthly WealthGood teachers know that a variety oftechniques are required to help students learn. Repetition is important—flash cards and drills help to cementinformation in the memory. Presentinginformation in creative ways is alsoimportant—hearing the facts presentedin a different way helps students makeconnections in new waysor gain new perspectives.Notice how the apostle Paul contraststhe false hope of money with the truehope of God. First, he clarifies what itmeans to “gain” (vv. 5–6). False teachers say that the Christian life will leadto material profits; in reality, spiritual gain is found in a life of godlinessand contentment. Second, the pursuitof money leads peopleinto all kinds of temptaPut their hope intions and away from thefaith, but the pursuit ofGod, who richlyrighteousness leads toprovides us witheternal life (vv. 9–12).We are concluding fourdays of examining whatScripture says about theeverything for ourwrong places to put ourenjoyment.hope, and at this pointBeing rich is not in andyou’ve probably noticedof itself sinful. But Scrip1 Timothy 6:17that several themes haveture recognizes that withbeen repeated. From Oldwealth comes the tempTestament to the New,tation to trust in financialGod’s Word urges us to resist the resources rather than God. The pastemptation to trust in wealth. It reminds sage concludes with the exhortationus to beware of false teachers who “to be rich in good deeds, generous,emphasize personal financial gain and willing to share” (v. 18). When ourinstead of discipleship. Our reading to- hope is placed in God, we are able tofocus on laying up eternal treasure.day includes all of those themes.This is “the life that is truly life” (v. 19).Apply the WordPray with UsNo matter what our financial status, we can berich in the things that matter. Review verses 17through 19 and ask the Lord to show you opportunities to demonstrate your trust in Him throughyour generosity. This can include financial giving,but also sharing your time, a listening ear, or wiseadvice with others. Celebrate the opportunity tolive a life that is truly life!Ask the Lord to strengthenJonathan Armstrong, CraigFerderer, Joshua Malone, andJohn McMath—faculty at MBI–Spokane—in their workof building strong biblicalfoundation in the heartsof students.Today in the Word 9
Read: Psalm 25Monday, January 5Hope in God’s DeliveranceIn contemporary English usage, the life challenges. Many of us can relateword hope often means something like to the circumstances of the psalmist inwishful thinking. It connotes anticipa- Psalm 25. He is “lonely and afflicted”tion and longing and dreaming; a child (v. 16). He is mindful of his own sinfulmight say, “I hope I get a pony for my ness (vv. 11, 18). And he feels threatenedbirthday!” We might offer well-wishes by numerous enemies (vv. 2, 19).for someone’s health: “I hope you feelbetter!” Hope is the word we often use Though he can identify both internalto mean that we want aand external challenges,particular thing to hapthe psalmist still has hopepen in the future.in God. He expresses thisNo one who hopeshope in several ways:in you will ever beOur English usage offirst, he is crying output to shame.hope is not as robust asto the Lord for deliverthe scriptural meaning ofance and mercy (vv. 16,Psalm 25:3hope. Hope in the Bible20). Crying out to Goddoes include an elementin our distress is an actof looking forward inof hope, because it acanticipation, but it doesn’t stop there. knowledges His power and salvationHope means looking forward to what even when we are hurting. Second, theGod will do with such confidence and psalmist is learning more about God’scertainty that it changes our actions instruction for life (vv. 4, 10). He wantsand perspective right now.to know God more, and this gives himeven greater reason to trust God. HeFor the next four days we’ll explore is willing to wait for God’s deliverancefour psalms of hope. These examples because He knows that “all the ways ofwill help us see the biblical dimensions the LORD are loving and faithful” (v. 10).of hope expressed in the midst of real-Apply the WordPray with UsDo your actions demonstrate your hope inGod? If you are waiting on God, your hopemight be expressed by praying (perhapspraying the words of this psalm if you don’thave your own words), by joining with otherbelievers to praise God for His love, or byreading Scripture to learn more about whoGod is and how He cares for His people.Please include in your prayersJennifer Mills, Michael Orr,Christopher Rappazini, FloydSchneider, and GeraldVreeland—the dedicatedMoody faculty in Spokanewho provide both academicand spiritual training fortheir students.10 Moody Bible Institute
Read: Psalm 33Tuesday, January 6Hope in God’s Sovereignty and LoveThroughout the history of Israel, God comes from his political skill or militaryprovided them with examples to remind intimidation; the tycoon might think thatthem not to put their trust in military his wealth comes from his own shrewdpower. When they left Egypt during investments and financial risk-taking.the Exodus, pursued by the Egyptian They don’t see that God has allowedforces, God parted the Red Sea to them whatever success they enjoy forsave them (see Exodus 14). When a brief time, for His own purposes andGideon attacked the Midianite troops, reasons.he succeeded with only300 men that God hadThe only true hope isMay yourwinnowed from his origito be found in acknowlunfailing love benal army of 32,000 (seeedging the Lord as thewith us, LORD, evenJudges 7).sovereign Creator whoseas we put ourlove never fails (v. 18).Our psalm today is aNo matter what haphope in you.jubilant hymn of praise topens to us, we have thePsalm 33:22God, because He alone isconfidence in His ultimatefromtheworthy of our hope anddeliverancetrust. He is the Creator (vv. 6–9). The clutches of death, a hint in this psalmentire world owes its existence to His of the truth of the resurrection life thatword that brought it into being. No awaits all those who hope in God.global military power or multinationalcorporation can claim that!This kind of hope allows us to rejoiceeven while we are waiting to see GodIn fact, the Lord sees the hearts and act. It allows our hearts to be filled withdeeds of everyone, from the mighti- joy because we trust in His holy, faithest ruler to the lowest peasant (v. 15). ful, loving character. We have hopeThe tyrant might think that his power because He never fails.Apply the WordPray with UsDo we like to take the credit for our own success?Or do we acknowledge that God has directedour steps and give Him glory and praise for Hiswork in our lives? Today is a good day to thankHim for your blessings—a long marriage, health,a stable job, good friends—whatever they maybe. Praise Him for His unfailing love in your life.The Moody Publishers teamsunder the leadership of PaulSanthouse, vice president ofPublications, work hard tobring our readers qualityChristian books, in print andonline. Would you uphold inprayer this ministry today?Today in the Word 11
Read: Psalm 42Wednesday, January 7Hope During Difficult DaysAccording to David Alloway, a desert spiritually, he is “downcast” (vv. 5–6).survival instructor, too many adven- Yet in this situation, when he is depletturers follow outdated advice about ed in every way, notice his decision. Herationing water, with tragic results. runs to the source of spiritual water andPeople have died of thirst in deserts renewal. He doesn’t “ration” God—heincluding the Australian Outback, Utah, repeatedly cries out to the Savior.and the Sahara—and they still hadwater in their canteens. Alloway Hope is not reserved for those timessays, “If you are thirsty,when all is going welldrink.Don’triskain our lives. Hope is notPut your hope inbefuddled mind and dieonly expressed throughGod, for I willof thirst with water inthanksgiving and praise.yet praise him, myyour canteen.”Hope is also expressedSavior andwhen we turn towardOur psalm today deGod and not away frommy God.scribes the experience ofHim during our diffiPsalm 42:5thirst in a spiritual desert.cult days. Notice howThe psalmist describesthe psalmist makes thishis anguish and suffering and isolation; a habit. In verse 5 and in verse 11 hehe thirsts for the presence of God (v. repeats both his turmoil and his trust2). In our reading yesterday, we saw in God.how rejoicing is an expression of hope.Psalm 42 reminds us that lament is also The key is found in verse 6: “My soulan expression of hope.is downcast within me, therefore I willremember you” (emphasis added).The psalmist is suffering in every way: The times when everything was gosocially, he is lonely and abandoned ing wrong were the exact times to run(v. 4); physically, he is in pain (v. 10); to God. This is a profound expressionemotionally, he is distressed (v. 3), and of hope.Apply the WordPray with UsThis psalm, with its metaphor of thirst, anticipates the One who is the Living Water. Jesustold the Samaritan woman, “Whoever drinksthe water I give them will never thirst. Indeed,the water I give them will become in them aspring of water welling up to eternal life”(John 4:14–15). Jesus offers this living waterto all who ask!Again, we lift up in prayerMoody Publishers on ourChicago campus. Its Productionteam, Ryan Lloyd and RandyWesterlund, strive to reachmore readers with MoodyPublishers’ books. Ask the Lordfor new spiritual blessings forthem in the new year.12 Moody Bible Institute
Read: Psalm 71Thursday, January 8Hope as a Testimony for GodMany churches have special worship This is not a theoretical concern. Thetimes called “praise and testimony.” Some- psalmist has enemies who are conspirtimes testimonies are included as part ing against him (vv. 10–13). The psalmof a regular Sunday morning service, contains clues that the psalmist mightbut other times a special service would be older, perhaps nearing the end ofbe held, perhaps on Sunday evening, t
In the Bible, the word hope is not merely a wish to get our lives under control. Hope is defined as the trust we place in God. The object of our hope is impor-tant. We place our hope in God and rely on His promises to us. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for hope is yachal. It co
