My God, . . . do not let my hopes be dashed. (Ps. 119:116)
“Hope . . . is the only thing stronger than fear. A little is effective, a lot of hope is dangerous.” Some may recognize this line as spoken by the president of the fictional world of Panem, from the blockbuster movie franchise The Hunger Games. The hope the president referred to was found in a person, Katniss Everdeen, and the mockingjay symbol she wore. When citizens of Panem saw Katniss and the mockingjay, they knew people were working behind the scenes to rescue them from an oppressive regime.
The psalmist also had a hope that was to be found in a person. The person is described as a “promise,” but we know this promise put on flesh in the form of Jesus Christ, as testified by Zechariah in Luke 1:69–70: “He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago).” As the psalmist looked ahead to Jesus’ first coming, we look ahead to his second coming. In the not too far-off future, many will join in singing about it. “Joy to the world! The Lord is come / Let earth receive her King / Let every heart prepare him room / And heaven and nature sing / And heaven and nature sing / And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.”
Let the words to “Joy to the World” resonate in your heart!
T. J. Albertson has pastored in The Wesleyan Church for eighteen years, the last sixteen in interchurch service. He loves teaching the whole Bible and its relevance to life.
© 2022 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
