By Ann Spangler
People’s names in the ancient world did more than simply distinguish one person from another. They often conveyed the essential nature and character of a person. This is especially true when it comes to the names of God recorded in the Bible. The book Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide explores the primary names and titles of God in the Old Testament to reveal the deeper meanings behind them. El Shaddai, Elohim, Adonai, Abba, El Elyon—God Almighty, Mighty Creator, Lord, Father, God Most High—these are just a few of the names and titles of God that yield rich insights into his nature and character. Each day this week we’re focusing on one of the primary names or titles of God. By incorporating the divine names and titles into your own prayers—and learning about the biblical context in which the name was revealed—you’ll gain a more intimate understanding of who God is and how he can be relied on in every circumstance of your life. I pray these posts will lead you into fresh encounters with the living God.
[Read the Names of God Bible (NOG) on Bible Gateway]
Miqweh Yisrael—Hope of Israel: Praying the Name
Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.
(Job 13:15)
My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
(Psalm 130:6-7)
Reflect On: Job 13:15 and Psalm 130: 6-7
Praise God: For his unfailing love.
Offer Thanks: For the gift of hope.
Confess: Any tendency toward hopelessness.
Ask God: To show you how to bring your mind into alignment with his truth.
Anti-smoking campaigns have been enormously successful over the last 30 years, painting cigarette smoking as dangerous, dirty, and disgusting—the nastiest of habits with the nastiest of consequences. But there’s another silent killer on the prowl that few people are warning against. Taking a cue from the anti-tobacco campaign, the warning we need to hear today is this: “Caution, Hopelessness May Be Hazardous to Your Health.”
That’s the conclusion of numerous clinical studies showing a direct link between feelings of hopelessness and the incidence of diseases like hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary disease, and cancer. In fact, chronically high levels of hopelessness may lead to premature death. In one study of 800 elderly Americans funded by the National Institute on Aging, participants were asked to answer this question: “Are you hopeful about the future?” Those who responded “no” were classified as hopeless. Then the participants were tracked for the next three to seven years. Of those classified as “hopeless,” 29% died compared with only 11% of those classified as “hopeful.”
Though a variety of factors may be at work when it comes to linking hopelessness and illness, it is possible that feelings of hopelessness may lead to biochemical changes that weaken our immune systems. Just as hopelessness weakens our bodies, it can also damage our souls. Hope, on the other had, is a tonic for both body and soul.
One of my favorite definitions of hope comes from writer and playwright, Jean Kerr: “Hope is the feeling you have that the feeling you have isn’t permanent.” But the biblical notion of hope is far sturdier. For one thing, biblical hope is not merely a matter of emotions. It doesn’t involve pumping ourselves up or mere wishful thinking. Nor does it depend on circumstances. Instead, it is deeply rooted in our relationship with God, who is the repository of our hope.
Hope gives us the steady confidence that God is working for our good in all things, as St. Paul tells us. And all means all. Illness, emotional problems, failure, hardship, betrayal, calamity, financial ruin, even death—nothing can ultimately swallow our hope. We may at times feel disappointed, depressed, afraid, sad, or confused, but we will never give way to despair. Hope gives us supernatural staying power so that we can endure until the day God fulfills the greatest of all his promises—inviting us to spend the rest of our lives forever in his presence.
That’s where true hope will lead you if you let it.
[Read the other Bible Gateway Blog posts in this Praying the Names of God series by Ann Spangler]
Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide is published by HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the parent company of Bible Gateway.
Bio: Ann Spangler (@AnnSpangler) is an award-winning writer and the author of many bestselling books, including Less Than Perfect, Praying the Names of God, Praying the Names of Jesus, and The One Year Devotions for Women. She’s also coauthor of Women of the Bible and Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus, and the general editor of the Names of God Bible. Ann’s fascination with and love of Scripture have resulted in books that have opened the Bible to a wide range of readers. She and her two daughters live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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