Hope in God restores our joy!

Without hope our lives turn into despair.  But knowing Christ Jesus gives us hope.

We start to hope again when we in faith know Jesus Christ and we receive his peace through the knowledge of his salvation.  When we trust God we become able to experience acceptance, even in the face of disappointment.

This is how we come to know who Christ Jesus really is. And in Jesus we get to know God’s nature and character. In Christ and his work we discover that God is faithful, even from generation to generation.

And in his faithfulness we discover that God loves us. By looking at the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, we begin to understand the depth of God's love for us. We also come to an understanding of the Lord’s purpose with our lives – to enjoy his love and to love him too. 

God’s purpose for our lives gives us hope. Knowing God in Christ brings hope to our hearts.  It brings a certainty that my future is secure in Christ. Whatever happens, nothing can change my God given redemption, restoration and destination.

This hope brings joy back into my life. This is why Paul could say in Rom 5:2b that we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Joy and celebration in God are simply part of believing in God through Jesus Christ the Saviour.  The Lord’s restoration of our joy is one of the ways in which we learn a little bit more about how glorious our God is.

We need peace and acceptance that restores our joy.

God's salvation brings peace. God's grace brings faith and acceptance. God's hope brings gladness.