As we travel life’s roads things will be lost along the way. Whether it’s possessions, jobs, homes, even friends and family. The sad truth to life on earth is that anything gained can just as easily be lost. The Bible even tells of a time when everything on earth will be lost. This world will soon pass away and everything it has for so long offered will be lost forever.
Matthew 24:35(ESV)
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
2 Peter 3:10 (ESV)
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
While the things of this world can and will eventually be lost. There are still some things that will never be lost. These few specific things will forever be apart of the life of the true Bible-believing Christian. No matter how bad life gets or how hard the enemy comes against us. Or what the circumstances look like on the outside a these will remain forever.
The things I am referring are hope, joy, and praise. All aspects of the Christian life and all things that will never cease to be a part of the life of someone who truly places all their trust in God and His inspired word. Because they know the promises of God will come to pass. That the Lord does not lie and He will never forsake His people.
Numbers 23:19 (ESV)
19 God is not man, that he should lie,
or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV)
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
No matter what you may be facing in life their is always a reason to have hope. Our God cares for us and is able to heal. He is able to do things many would view as impossible because as the scripture teaches nothing is impossible with Him. God can completely change any situation. Which gives us exceding hope through every day. But even if we do not receive healing on earth or if our situation never changes a reason to hope still remains, the promise of Heaven.
Luke 1:37(ESV)
37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
John 14:1-3 (ESV)
14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
That same hope is the inspiration for the joy that can never be lost. It is a joy that is able to survive whatever life may throw at us. Because the Bible tells us that the issues of this life will only plague us for a time. A day is coming where every tear will be wiped away and God’s people will be lifted up in glory. And we must not forget the forgiveness and salvation that we have undeservingly received. That in itself is a reason for great joy in our lives. A joy that no bad situation will ever be able to take away.
Revelation 21:4 (ESV)
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Ephesians 2:8 (ESV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Romans 8:18 (ESV)
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Because we have this great joy that comes from knowing God and knowing what is coming next we are never without a reason to praise. No matter what the doctor’s report says or what our bank account may look like there is always a reason to give glory to the Lord. Look at the great example of Paul who after being beaten found himself bound in chains in a cold, damp, dark jail cell. The situation was bleak and to most, it would have looked like a time without hope, joy, or a reason to praise God. But that was not the case for the Apostle who still offered loud praise to God for everyone to hear.
Acts 16:23-25 (ESV)
23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
Every Christian should find themselves praising in every situation because our reasons to praise can never be lost. We do not praise God for the earthly things that will pass away or be lost. No, we praise God for heavenly treasures and for all the blessings He has poured out upon each of us. The greatest of theses blessing being the gift of salvation. The truth is every Christian should always find themselves in a sense of thanksgiving never ceasing to praise the Lord.
Psalm 113:3 (ESV)
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the Lord is to be praised!
Hebrews 13:15 (ESV)
15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
Hope, joy, and praise will continue to abound in our lives as long as we continue to trust in the Lord and His word. Bad times will come and many of us will experience great loss along the way. But through it all, we all still have more than enough reasons to find hope and joy. There is always a reason to offer up an act of praise to our mighty God and Savior. And never lose the faith we have received.
This article was inspired by the song “I Never Lost My Praise”. My church recently sang this impactful song once again. For some reason this time, the lyrics hit me in a much more meaningful way. Take a moment and listen to the message of this song and allow it to sink. This video is a bit older but the words and their meaning remain the same.
I have no way of knowing what kind of loss you may have experienced. But my hope and prayer are that you will see no matter what you have had to face there is still a reason to have hope and joy in your life. And that you do have a reason to praise God.
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