An Ambassador of Hope
“We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 6:19-20 NRSV
Series: Everyday Apprentice
Devotional: 9 of 13
So many today are living under a cloud of despair.
Looking closer, their faces reveal the hopeless condition of their hearts. They move through life with their heads hung low, eyes glazed over, and a blank, hollow stare on their face.
Often without even realizing it, they have anchored their hearts to the idols of this world. Pleasure and entertainment. Wealth and influence. All of it provides a temporary high, but never truly fills the void in their hearts that only Jesus can satisfy.
Day by day, they navigate the ordinary moments of life desperate to be truly seen and known by even just one person. Someone willing to slow down and notice the true condition of their hearts. Someone willing to wade into the sickness that permeates every area of their lives. Someone who can lead them to the only One who can truly satisfy what they hunger and thirst for, but don't know is missing.
As followers of Jesus, you and I have been set apart to be that someone. As His apprentices, we have been called to be ambassadors of hope to a lost and dying world. Hope that is found only in an intimate, interactive relationship with Jesus. Hope that the author of Hebrews describes as "a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul" (see Hebrews 6:19-20 NRSV).
When we anchor our lives to Christ and His kingdom, we receive the hope of eternal life with God in Heaven, and a living hope available to us today that can transform our lives from the inside out.
In his letter to Titus, the apostle Paul wrote, "This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:6-7 NRSV). In Christ, we can be confident that life is more than what we are currently experiencing in the here and now. In Him, death does not have the final say. For He is the resurrection and the life, and everyone who believes in Him will never die (See John 11:25-26 NRSV).
To everyone who puts their faith and trust in Christ, He offers a living hope that is not just for tomorrow, but is available today (See 1 Peter 1:3-5 NRSV). Hope that invites us to abide with Him in the present moment. Hope that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can become more like Him. Hope that in His kingdom He has a plan and a purpose for our lives.
This week, ask the Lord to open your eyes to see the people all around you who are living under a cloud of despair. As you do, consider how He might be asking you to slow down, step into their pain, and point them to the only One who offers eternal hope in this life and the life to come.
OnThe3rdDay Devotionals
Devotionals that illustrate Biblical principles in a simple and short format that can be applied to your everyday life.
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