Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look how they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’” Ezekiel 37:11 HCSB
There was a church named No Hope Baptist Church in a town where I used to live. The church got its name because when they started the church on the outskirts of town several people said, “There is no hope for that church to make it.” Therefore, they named the church No Hope Baptist Church. Years later a deacon of the church was attending a conference when the speaker made the comment, “There is hope in Jesus Christ. Just imagine if a church were to call itself No Hope” not realizing that there really was a church called No Hope. The deacon returned from the conference with a determination to get the name of the church changed. It is now more appropriately called the New Hope Baptist Church.
The people of Israel felt that there was no hope for the future. Many were in captivity under the Babylonians and others were living in Jerusalem were the city laid in ruins. There seemed to be no hope. Often people go through experiences in life when they feel there is no hope for the future. They may even feel like there is no reason for living.
Challenge: Jeremiah 29:11 says, For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. God is still in control even when things are really going bad. Trust God that He has a plan and will accomplish His plan if we will only allow Him to be the Lord of our lives. With God there is always hope.