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Difficulties of Life
There are times when things look very dark.. when clouds of hopelessness seem to linger in a thundery sky. These are often times when one needs to wait in hope… until the longed-for deferred fulfilment of a precious promise is at last rewarded.
Deferred Hope
But sometimes waiting in hope, has its own singular pain.. when naught but night’s blackness hangs heavily at the casement window. Where no twinkling light of some distant star shines to encourage the heart. Even though there seemed to be no glimmer of precious hope, Habakkuk summed up deferred hope in his astonishing prayer: Though the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be on the vines, the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat.. the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls…. Habakkuk 3:17
Testings in Hope
This is the point where hope is deferred. This is the state where hope is put through the testing mangle. This is the place where the greatest patience and trusting hope must be exhibited… where Love and Faith support the weary arms of Hope.. just as Joshua and Hur held up the weary arms of Moses, until the precious desire blossoms forth as a Tree of Life.. for Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes it IS a Tree of Life.
Patience in Hope
So refuse to despair. Rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of your salvation. Deferred hope is not something that only you are facing today; it is Job – in his tempest; it is Abraham, on the long and dusty road to Moriah; it is Moses, in the blistering deserts of Midian; it is Elijah, beside the evaporating brook of Cherith. It is Habakkuk, trembling in his Shigionoth. It is the Son of Man, prostrate in the Garden of Gethsemane. There is no patience so hard to bear as hope that has been deferred. This is waiting for a delayed hope, which requires endurance, patience, perseverance.
Rewards of Hope
For hope deferred maketh the heart sick – but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. How glorious that little word BUT. But.. BUT GOD. God can cause the distressing delay to blossom into a thing of beauty. God can replace the chalice of bitter herbs with a brimming cup of blessing. God will change the long night of waiting into a morning of joy and rejoicing.
Examples of Hope
Job’s eyes were opened, discovering, Thou canst do everything. Job 42:2 Abraham saw His Jehovah Jireh as the One Who provides Himself a Lamb. Genesis 22:8 In the cleft of the rock Moses watched, as the glory of the Lord passed by and Elijah wrapped his face in his mantle as he heard whisper the still small voice… and the Son of Man?
Our Blessed Hope
The Son of Man Who for the joy that was before Him, prostrated Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane.. endured the cross, despising the shame – so that we may eat of that Tree of Life: for to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life. Revelation 2:7
Remember….
When deferred hope makes your heart sick.. when the desired hope at long last appears, remember it is a Tree of Life. Blessed are they that do His commandments, for they have the right to eat of the Tree of Life. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Bible References
12 For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
2 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;
10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
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