Mandatory Hope

Hebrews 11:6 “He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

I have read this verse many times in the past, but it was not too long ago that I first paid attention to the second half of this verse. I had, previous to that time, thought only that those who come to God must believe that He exists, and that that was good enough. Prayer required belief in God, seems simple and obvious. But on recent reading the Spirit of God pointed out that there was another requirement in the verse—believing that He is going to be gracious.

It seems that our Lord has no intention of us thinking little of His riches. He requires two things of those praying to Him, belief in Him and an expectation of good from Him. He would not have us thinking stingy thoughts of Him. If you are going to God, you are bound by this mandate—you must expect His generosity. If you do not, you do not have a place near His throne of grace. If we think of Him as an impersonal miser or a grumpy old man, we had rather stay silent than intrude on His majesty. He is not like us. That is the main meaning of the word “holy.” It means being different, even otherly.

He is not like us. When we would be gracious, He would be gracious. When we would be grumpy, He would be gracious. We will change our feelings and our likings, He will not change. There is not even a shadow of turning with Him. He flinches not in His rewardings. He is evermore the same. As Spurgeon would say, “You may look, and study, and weigh, but Jesus is a greater Savior than you think Him to be when your thoughts are at their greatest. My Lord is more ready to pardon than you are to sin, more able to forgive than you to transgress. My Master is more willing to supply your wants than you are to confess them. Never tolerate low thoughts of my Lord Jesus” (Aug 22 Evening Morning and Evening).

Now, I like that He is not fickle and that He is ever requiring me to think generous thoughts of Him. For me this week’s application came in the form of security. I have read in Romans that nothing can separate me from the love of God that is in Jesus (8:38,39). I have thought through a good many scenarios wherein that verse would hold, but I have had trouble with my intellect and experience on the point of insanity. What happens if I lose my mind?

This week provided a good illustration. I was at work performing work on two cars alternately. I left to turn in some paperwork on one of them, and returned. One of my service writers (tells me what to do) came back and asked me who was working on one of the cars. It was up in the air on a hoist and the plate was removed that exposed the oil pan. I turned to him and told him with no guile that I did not know. He said it was not the guy working next to me, so I hollered to one of my mechanic friends on the other side asking him if he was working on it. His reply was that he thought I was. I replied that I was not, and began to look at the other techs on that side, at which time it began to dawn on me that I was the one working on that car. I had raised it in the air; I had removed the skid plate. It appeared also that I had lost my mind.

Now my sleeping schedule had taken a severe beating that week (switching from school to work full-time), but I don’t remember that ever happening to me before—not that my memory is appearing to be the most reliable! I had a few other incidents this week that showed that my mind was somewhere else, but I will not retell them all.

Do you know how comforting it is to know, to really know, that God will not be separated from me? Are we aware that God invented the “no child left behind” policy? And His is effective! He will bring all of His children home to be with Him, no matter what obstacle may come into the way. His eternal reputation is on trial—do I think He would let it be marred?! It will never be. Perhaps you are exhausted, weary yet pursuing God. Do not think that He will forsake you, He will give you strength for the day until there are no more days. Bring all hell to bear, He laughs at the strength of men. Bring what may come, He is like the behemoth that the Jordan flows into its mouth yet he is not alarmed (Job 40:23). Shall anyone snatch us from the Father’s hand? Not even insanity can separate us!

In this manner, and only this manner, we may come to the Father. He is the Giver of all good gifts. As Christmas is here, do not forget that high thoughts of God’s generosity are mandatory for entering His presence. Does coming down from perfection to our messy place display His generosity is words louder than words? This generosity is in its clearest form in the person of Jesus. In His life and death God is proven to be the greatest Giver. Never attempt to pray with unexpectant hearts and minds.

Enjoy this time of remembering our only Hope and Savior, Jesus Christ.