He’s Our Only Hope
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17 (NIV)
Does anyone out there play the lottery regularly? I do not. In fact, I have never bought a lottery ticket. Sometimes I wonder why I haven’t tried it. You know the saying, “You can’t win if you don’t play.”
I recently read an article in Reader’s Digest from earlier this year that stated something pretty astounding. It said that 70 percent of lotto winners lose or spend all their winnings in five years or less. That’s a pretty sad statistic, isn’t it?
Money has a way of being a wonderful blessing and then becoming a dreadful curse. It changes us, and we start putting our hope in its power and status. Riches aren’t necessarily a bad thing, but setting our hope in wealth can be.
Our text today is from a letter Paul wrote to Timothy. Timothy oversaw a church in Ephesus, a wealthy city in a country now known as Turkey. Our verse says this, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”
Many of the residents of Ephesus had money and were well off. Paul instructs Timothy to teach the believers in Ephesus not to be haughty or arrogant about their money. In other words, not to be stuck-up about their wealth and putting all their faith in it, and Instead placing hope in God as their provider.
From the statistics mentioned above, it is safe to say that money and riches are unpredictable. Here today, gone tomorrow, and completely unreliable. God is the only reliable source to put our hope in. The reason being? He owns it all. Psalms 50:10 states, “For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.” Out of God’s riches, he so graciously provides for us.
Unfortunately, hope is put in countless other things than God. Rejecting Him for what the world or somebody else can offer. Perhaps you are hoping in the upcoming elections or government. Maybe you are placing your hope in a person, or a spouse, or a sports team. The point is, instead of hoping in these things, put your hope in God. You will not be disappointed. He will richly provide for everything you need.
After the year we’ve had, we need God, and the hope only he can give. It hasn’t been easy, to say the least. We have faced a lot, and I don’t know about you, but I need something more substantial to place my hope and faith in besides money or politics.
When this year is finally over, wouldn’t it be fabulous if we could emerge from this year with a renewed hope in God? Committed to trusting in Him alone to provide for us, and be our source for everything? After all, we’d be in good hands.