Hope That Holds

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

The devotional for today titled Hope That Holds was written by James Banks. I know Daddy's coming home because he sent me flowers. Those were my seven-year-old sister's words to our mother when Dad was missing in action during wartime. Before Dad left for his mission, he pre-ordered flowers for my sister's birthday, and they arrived while he was missing.

But she was right. Dad did come home after a harrowing combat situation, and decades later, she still keeps the vase that held the flowers as a reminder to always hold on to hope. Sometimes, holding on to hope isn't easy in a broken, sinful world.

Daddies don't always come home, and children's wishes sometimes go unfulfilled. But God gives hope in the most difficult circumstances. In another time of war, the prophet Habakkuk predicted the Babylonian invasion of Judah but still affirmed that God is always good. Remembering God's kindness to his people in the past, Habakkuk proclaimed, Though the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines, Though the olive crop fails, and the fields produce no food, Though there are no sheep in the pen, and no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Some commentators believe Habakkuk's name means to cling.

We can cling to God as our ultimate hope and joy, even in trials, because he holds on to us and will never let go. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Habakkuk chapter 3 verses 11 through 19. Sun and moon stood still in the heavens, at the glint of your flying arrows, at the lightning of your flashing spear. In wrath you strode through the earth, and in anger you threshed the nations. You came out to deliver your people, to save your anointed one. You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness, you stripped him from head to foot. With his own spear you pierced his head when his warriors stormed out to scatter us. Gloating as though about to devour the wretched who were in hiding. You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the great waters. I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound.

Decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord.

I will be joyful in God my Savior. The sovereign Lord is my strength. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer.

He enables me to tread on the heights for the director of music on my stringed instruments. Let's pray. Father, we thank you that whatever comes to us in life, whether good or bad, our future is secure and bright with you. It's in Jesus' name that we pray and trust. Amen. Thanks so much for listening today. My name is Wes Ward, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.