3 sustaining truths

O Israel, hope in the LORD!

For with the LORD there is steadfast love,

and with him is plentiful redemption.

And he will redeem Israel

from all his iniquities.

Psalm 130:7-8

There are three powerful, life-giving truths that sustain the soul that trusts the Lord. They are vividly described in these two verses. They sustained Israel as they lived as God’s covenant nation. They sustain Christians right now who trust God in Christ.

HOPE. This four-letter word gives perspective when we need it most as we place our hope in our Lord. Hope in scripture is not wishful thinking. It isn’t like walking out of the gas station with a fistful of lottery tickets thinking “I hope I win it big”. No… biblical hope is assured confidence. It is a guarantee. It is being persuaded that God always keeps His promises. He cares for us as He said He would. He will lead us when we cannot see a way. And He has our life in control right now, as well as our eternal future secure in Him.

STEADFAST LOVE. This is the Hebrew word “Hesed” - the Old Testament word for God’s amazing grace! We have great hope because God has great love. And we know that great love of God because by grace he provides the way for unholy sinners like ourselves to enter into His presence in relationship with Him. The Jews celebrated this when they journeyed to the temple for festivals and sacrifices (Psalm 130 is a song they would have sung on those journeys). We celebrate that grace in worship of Jesus in His church, most profoundly when baptism and the Lord’s Table draw us to the love forever shown us in His death and resurrection.

REDEMPTION. God loves to change sinners. When Israel sang Psalm 130 as they hiked to Zion to offer their sacrifices, they celebrated God redeeming Israel from all iniquity. And my heart that now trusts Christ alone for my salvation also sings of redemption as I remember that He carried His cross up a hill called Golgotha outside Jerusalem so that I too might be redeemed, by His gracious, steadfast love, to live in new hope.