Hope
| For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide, we might have hope. (Romans15:4) |
And then he goes on to quote four Old Testament Scriptures to show how even in the Old Testament it testifies to the truth that all nations are included in God's great plan of salvation.
There is an idea that the Old Testament isn't as important as the New. Or that the God of the Old Testament was an angry, hateful God, who somehow magically transforms into the Jesus we see in the Gospels.
And yet nothing can be further from the truth. While the Bible is a progressive revelation of God, we find that the Scriptures are constantly pointing us to a God who creates out of love and who engages with people. We get story after story of men and women (just like you and me) who encounter this Divine Being and are forever changed.
Our passage for today speaks of how this Scripture is given to teach us.
Teach us what?
That those who followed faithfully, had endurance. The stories and writing we have from those who recorded Israel's history, or from the poetry and prophecy, show us people who sought God and were found by Him. Shows us people who listened for his voice and obeyed.
Why is this important?
It's a profound encouragement to us, that just like those who have gone before us, we too can seek after God, hear His voice, obey Him and be profoundly changed.
And this, in a world that is torn up and broken, in a world that appears abandoned by God, gives us HOPE! God can still encounter His people. God can still speak. God can still give us endurance and encouragement. These Scriptures are still written for us to point us to God and to give us hope that He is still engaging and still involved with our world today.
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Jackie Barker is the Minister at Strubensvalley United Church in the West of Joburg. She also runs Omphile House -- a foster home that gives a forever family to children who have been neglected and abused. She and her beloved husband Tim currently parent six children. When not working and parenting you will find her hiking and chasing sunsets!
