Inspiration

 The Immutable Basis of a Sinner’s Hope

By Connie Arnold

Shadows may blur, or even obstruct, our path. But if we raise our heads, we can catch a gleam of light in the distance. David wrote, “I may walk through valleys as dark as death” (Psalm 23:4a CEV), but “Your kindness and love will always be with me” (Psalm 23:6a CEV). He later wrote of  darkness in the night followed by light and joy in the morning. David spoke openly about his down experiences; but when he came through these times, he always proclaimed God’s faithfulness.

In 1834 Edward Mote wrote, “when all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” Mote may have thought he was standing on the only piece of ground left. All around may have crumbled away, leaving him floating, unsure and alone. The original title of this song was “The Immutable Basis of a Sinner’s Hope.” The sinner’s hope is The Solid Rock, Christ Jesus.

Obviously, Habakkuk’s farm wasn’t doing well. His fig trees weren’t flourishing, his vines weren’t producing grapes, and his work in the olive groves hadn’t paid off. But he said, “The Lord gives me strength, He makes my feet as sure as those of a deer, and he helps me to stand on the mountains” (Habakkuk 3:19 CEV). Our assignment comes from Habakkuk 2:20 CEV, “Let all the world be silent—the Lord is present in his holy temple.”

We hold up Job as the ultimate Old Testament sufferer. Chaldean gangs swooped down driving off his donkeys, camels, oxen and killing all of the servants except for the one left to bear the bad news. Even nature seemed to turn against him. Fire from heaven killed his sheep and servants except for the messenger who had to report it. While all his children were gathered for a party at his oldest son’s home, a windstorm blew the house down, crushing all his sons and daughters to death beneath the fallen roof.

His personal health failed. He sat on an ash heap as a picture of his sorrows, scraping his sores with broken pieces of pottery. His wife urged him to curse God and die. She was watching the man she loved suffer as no one had ever suffered, and she lacked Job’s faith to withstand it without lashing out.

Job stood firm saying to God, “No one can oppose you, because you have the power to do what you want (Job 42:2 CEV). At the end of suffering, his reward was great. Read the ‘happy ending’ in Job 42:10-16. He was twice as rich as before. He must have forgiven his wife for her foolish talk. (Perhaps he prayed for her as he did for his three foolish friends.) She bore him ten more children. He had seven sons and three daughters. I don’t know if his sons were handsome or not, but the Bible says that Job’s three daughters were the most beautiful in all the land.

In the New Testament Paul suffered: beatings, incarceration, cold, snakebite, shipwreck, etc. He was a bi-vocational. Devoted and faithful to his spiritual calling, he determined not to be a burden on his fellow Christians. I’m sure he had to take time out of his scheduled ‘revivals’ to build a few tents to support his journeys.

Paul testifies that “I am sure that what we are experiencing now cannot compare with the glory that will be shown to us” (Romans 8:18 CEV).

The ultimate sufferer of all times is our Lord. We may like to think of him as a well-accepted itinerant preacher being welcomed wherever He went. But for every crowd that hailed him, there was one that heckled Him. Jealousy, hatred and fear raged in the hearts of those who plotted his death. But die for us He did.

He took on all of the world’s grievous sins and allowed himself to be the sacrifice for them. All of them, all at once. The climax was so great that the earth shook, the sun stopped shining, the sky turned black, and mortal fear struck in the city of Jerusalem.

“Father, I put myself in your hands!” (Luke 23:46 CEV). Jesus said this because He knew that only in the Father’s hands would his Spirit be safe.

We will never suffer like this, but we can utter the same cry and rest assured of safety.