August 1st

August 1st

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬ NLT)

Hope.
Nothing describes the Gentile people of the Old Testament better than "hopeless." The Jews had something to put their hope in. (Yahweh, the coming Messiah...) But the Gentiles had nothing. Nothing to place their hope in. But in Romans 18, Paul challenges that. He shows how God's plan includes the Gentiles, and that this inclusion was through Christ. Christ did not come for a portion, he came for ALL.
And in another place Isaiah said, "The heir to David's throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hope on him." (‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭12‬ NLT)
Before Christ, the Gentile people had nothing to place their hope in. After Christ, He is hope. The Savior of the world, the hope of nations. It's all Christ.
'My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
but wholly trust in Jesus' name'
What a great hymn! Christ is our only hope!

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