Christ Church Daily Devotion April 17 2024

This is a Daily Devotion from Christchurch on April 17, 2024, focusing on the hope we have because of what God did through Jesus Christ at Easter. The verses from Hebrews remind us to hold onto this hope and trust in God's faithfulness. Even when all hope is gone, we can trust God to restore it. We are encouraged to encourage others with the gift of hope. Welcome to Christchurch's Daily Devotion for April 17, 2024. Today we will be reading from Hebrews chapter 10 verses 19 through 23. Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened up for us through the curtain that is His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings. After our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience, and having our bodies washed with pure water, let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. This week we are focusing on the hope we have been given because of what God did through Jesus Christ at Easter. In these verses of encouragement, verse 23 in particular leads us into this hope. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. Another way to say this would be, because of God's faithfulness, we can hold unswervingly to the hope we profess. Eugene Peterson, in The Message, writes it this way, So let's do this, without hesitation, walk right up to God, into the holy place Jesus has declared the way by the blood of His sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. Today's verses are traditionally read sometime in the day or evening on Good Friday, considering the word hope on Good Friday when for the disciples all hope was gone, and the word hope after Christ's resurrection might offer us two different perspectives. We, being Easter people, are experiencing God's fulfillment of the promise of redemption through Christ's life, death, burial, and resurrection. Therefore, in our lives, when all hope is gone, we can trust God's faithfulness and let God restore our hope. We can trust God each step of the way. Hebrews 6, 19 through 20 tell us, We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. One writer describes it this way, Christ is going ahead of us, and we can continue to follow in His footsteps. We can walk forward in God's faithfulness through Christ. Your personal worship option today is, The verse which follows today's verses says, And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Is there someone you can encourage with the gift of hope today?