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#WordForTodayDevotional

Saturday June 25, 2022

CHARACTERISTICS OF YAHWEH’S KIND OF LOVE (12): HOPES ALL THINGS

… its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, …
I Corinthians 13:7 (AMPC)

This word we see translated as “hope” is the Greek word “elpizo” which means to expect or confide. The word is translated in other places as “trust” and “expect.” It is the confident expectation of something to come. To “hope all things” means to confidently expect the long-term spiritual growth of our fellow brothers and sisters in HaMashiach; to expect that their lives will turn out right; to expect that their situation will change for the better; to treat them according to that beautiful future you expect. To “hope all things” means that we never consider another to be a lost cause. It means that we never give up on each other, even when we see one another fall and fall hard.

When we fail to “hope all things” we consider failures of sin to be a final judgment. It is betrayed in quickness to write the other off. We have critical notions of others and when they meet our expectations of their weakness, we cross them off our list and push them out of our lives. When we fail to “hope all things” we separate. We separate because we feel we have to move on, as if the offender has fallen out of our boat and won’t recover. And what is most awful about losing hope is that it can be so silent. We usually won’t even bother to confront them in hopes of producing repentance, simply receding from them, quietly, withdrawing from their orbit. We even convince ourselves that we are actually “covering their sin in love” by staying quiet.

We must come to that point where we expect the best of them, possessing an optimistic view of how things will turn out, in this life or, more importantly, in eternity. We must recognize ‘…that all things work together for good to those who love Yahweh, to those who are the called according to His purpose.’ (see Romans 8:28 KJV). This kind of attitude is tested when troubles arise, but possessing this kind of love means we will continue to confidently expect the best of the person we love. It also means we will do what we can to help that positive and Godly outcome become a reality. This can sometimes be a challenge. Sometimes circumstances develop or decisions are made that make it difficult to maintain an optimistic expectation for someone. That is where we need to remember that the essence of this love is the commitment to the best interest of the one we love. It is also important to remember how often we are on the other side, making decisions that make it difficult for someone who loves us to maintain that confidence in us.

REMEMBER: The Yahweh-kind of love expects the best future and works to help actualize it for people in the person’s world.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank you for the love shed abroad in my spirit by the Holy Spirit. I ask for the grace to see the people in my world with your eyes and to treat them with love even when they are not getting it right in the name of Yahushua HaMashiach Amen!