Thoughtful Thursday: In Christ Alone

"In Christ alone, my hope is found.

He is my light, my strength, my song."

I absolutely adore these song lyrics.  It is a beautiful and well-written song.  I’ve gotten on a kick lately where I can’t just listen to it once.  I end up repeating it 2 or 3 times before I move on to a different song. 

Just recently as I was listening to it for the third time in an hour, I began to ponder the above words.  It sounds wonderful, but how many of us can honestly say those words?  I know that most days, when I’m singing along, unfortunately they are just words and are not actually truth in my life at that moment. 

I mean, think about it.  “In Christ alone, my hope is found”.   How many of us truly place ALL of our hope solely in Christ?  Not many, I dare say.  Of course, it is more than likely what we strive for, but failing quite often.  This is much easier to say than it is to do.  Most days we hope in ourselves, in others, in medication, or in the familiarity and comfort of a besetting sin.

Psalms 78:7  “That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:”

I believe this is the key to place our hope solely in Christ.  Keeping His commandments and not forgetting His works.  If you are honoring and showing your love to Christ by keeping His commandments, your focus and hope will be on Him and not others or other things.  If you are constantly remembering all His good works in your life, you will constantly be reminded of His faithfulness, your hope will likely remain with Him as well.  We are human and far from perfect.  People fail, things fail, but Christ is Faithful and in Him we can hope.