We should never, as believers, lose hope, okay?
God tells us to hope.
The Bible talks about how Abraham hoped against hope.
And you know, we as believers should always know that as long as we're on this earth
and alive and breathing air, God has a purpose for us being here.
God has a job for us to do.
And the Bible says,
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
I mean, no matter what situation we're in, whatever bad, hopeless situation,
we need to understand that, look, there's always hope.
God, I mean, how many times do we see situations in the Bible that looked hopeless
and then God comes through?
You know, we look at Hagar.
Hagar is at the point of death and her son Ishmael is about to die.
And she says, I don't even want to see my son die.
And she basically just casts him behind a bush, right?
Her young teenage son, she casts him behind a bush and just goes away
and just falls on her face crying out to God, okay?
And there's no hope.
There's no food.
There's no water.
They're out in the desert.
And God at the very last minute answers them, shows her where she can find some water.
She's able to give water to her son Ishmael.
He grows up to be a mighty hunter.
He grows up to be a great man.
And he grows up to found whole nations, right?
But she was on the point of giving up.
But thank God, Ishmael, the Bible says that God heard the voice of the lad.
That teenage boy, Ishmael, prayed unto God.
His prayer was heard.
You know, Mom had kind of given up, but Ishmael hadn't given up.
He prayed and was heard.
So, you know, how many times, I mean, look at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
They're being thrown into a fiery furnace.
Wouldn't you say it's over?
I mean, the story's over.
Daniel being thrown into the lion's den.
Done.
I mean, the children of Israel backed up against the Red Sea.
The whole army of Pharaoh's host is advancing.
And, you know, there's no hope.
We're doomed.
But yet there was hope.
Yet God is a God of miracles.
And, you know, you say, well, yeah, but I've messed up.
Look, David committed adultery.
David committed murder.
But did he give up?
No.
Now, look, did he suffer?
Yes.
Did he ruin his life in many ways?
Yes.
But he still did some great things for God after that.
And you know what?
It's like Paul said when he's writing 2 Timothy chapter 4.
He said, I'm about ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand.
He said, I've finished my course.
And he's saying the time of his departure is at hand.
Why?
Because he's referring to the fact that he has finished the work that God gave him to
do and now he's about ready to depart and to be with the Lord.
You know, as long as we're on this earth, there is something left for us to do or we
wouldn't be here.
I mean, if we were done, if God just looked at us and said, you're done, there's nothing
more for you to do, I have no purpose for you anymore, then he would just bring us home.
He can end our life at any moment.