Bibledoorajar looks at Misplaced Hope

 "Hope that has no guarantee of fulfillment is a false friend that comforts us a while with flattery and leaves us to our enemies. Expectation of a bright tomorrow when no such tomorrow can be ours will be bitterness compounded by despair in the day of the great reckoning."
                                                                                                         A.W. Tozer

Last week we looked at Pharoah's misplaced hope in his wise men and magicians. His expectation was that the meaning of his dreams would be declared and he could rest assured that his tomorrows would be brighter. His troubled soul would be quieted.  But a hope misplaced in the world and it's ways can only lead to disappointment and/or bitterness and anger. Yesterday in Bible class we were talking about that very issue. Looking to the world and its' thought can only be a one way street. Consider this Hindu proverb: "There is no disease like hope." The proverb rightly points out the error of worldly hope or hope misplaced. It has no guarantee even though over and over men and women seek its' comfort. Paul says to be in the world and drawing on its' wisdom is to be without hope and without God. So, what was so powerful about the hope Joseph put in God?  The main point of it was that it was based on a covenant--an agreement between God and Abraham that was passed down through the patriarchs. It was not some loosely based report that was merely misplaced flimflams that can come from any direction leading to confusion and chaos. For Joseph, he held the covenant in his heart and his destiny was in the hands of God. Where are you placing yours? Is it based on a covenant given by God?

"Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. "
                                      Ephesians 2:12

Jesus gives us new birth based on a new covenant that gives us complete hope in Christ. Give it some consideration today. If you have it, praise God. If you need it, seek it. It can be found.