796 | HOPE AND COMFORT | Isaiah 41, Psalm 33, and Romans 5, 15, Jerusalem | |||
Do not be afraid, for I am with you; stop being anxious and watchful, for I am your God. I give you strength, I bring you help, I uphold you with my victorious right hand. The eye of Yahweh is on those who fear him, on those who rely on his love, to rescue their souls from death and keep them alive in famine. It is by faith and through Jesus that we have entered this state of grace in which we can boast about looking forward to God's glory. But that is not all we can boast about; we can boast about our sufferings. These sufferings bring patience, as we know, and patience brings perseverance, and perseverance brings hope, and this hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us. May the God of hope bring you such joy and peace in your faith that the power of the Holy Spirit will remove all bounds to hope. | HOPE AND COMFORT: See also Nos. 726, 729, 745, 782. |