Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Hebrews 6:17-19
Heavenly Father, stunned, awe-filled, and grateful is what I feel as I pray through this Scripture today. I know it’s euphemistic and cliché; colloquial and provincial, dated and nowhere to be found in erudite tomes of theological discourse, but you “rock”. There is no other “god” like you—singularly worthy of my heart’s adoration, affection, and allegiance. Though the “Michal’s” of the world might object (2 Samuel 6), I would gladly dance before you today like King David, dressed in the righteousness of Jesus alone.
Should the idol factory of my heart work overtime, in my wildest, most self-centered days, I could not even begin to imagine or fabricate a god as good, generous and loving as you. All my idols are “empty nothings,” miserable mirages, tottering temples of wood, hay and stubble—mute, blind and impotent (Isa 44:9-20). You alone are the fullness of everything I need, much more than I want, and eternally beyond all I could ever deserve.
You have made promises you alone can keep—promises of redemption, reconciliation and restoration. You neither exaggerate nor lie. You are the God of all hope who fills us to overflowing with hope, not hype—living hope, leaping hope, laughing hope (Romans 15:13; I Peter 1:3). The anchor of our guilt and shame has been severed from its tether, and sent into the bottomless ocean of your grace. We are now anchored to hope—firmly, securely. No matter the how rough the sea, high the waves or threatening the sea beasts, we are anchored to hope—and hope does not disappoint (Romans 5:5).
Through Jesus, everything broken will become unbroken. All things made bad by sin will be made new by grace. Systemic evil will be trumped and replaced with systemic beauty—never to be sullied again.
The curse will not just be lifted, it will be crushed and sent eternally packing (Revelation 22:3). The despair of the fall will be run off and overrun by the delights of the new heaven and new earth. We will never again hurt one another or be hurt by one another. Tongues of gossip and gangrene will be transformed into tongues of wonder and worship. We will as lovely and as loving as Jesus (1 John 3:1-1). That cannot happen one day too soon.
Father, by the power of the gospel, “out” and flush out our whinings, gripes and complainings. As heirs of eternity, it’s so unbefitting that we should live as paupers in praise. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ triumphant and transforming name.
