In Christ Alone — April 2019

Do you ever find yourself saying, “If I can just make it through this tough week, I’ll be okay,” or I have just got to keep going ‘till our vacation–or ‘till I my home is properly Marie Kondoed–or ‘till my child is healthy–or ‘till my marriage heals–or so on…

I do.

I may not even realize it, but subconsciously, I am putting my hope in this world and in little gods who cannot do anything for me. There goes that idol factory, hard at work in my heart again. The truth is, vacations can turn out terribly, health sometimes just doesn’t improve, people fail us and all the oils and organic food in the world don’t protect you from difficulties, pain and deterioration. While His blessings should be accepted gratefully and with gladness, when we put our trust and hope in the gift rather than the Giver, that is idolatry. The hope of a born again heart is constant, even in the face of suffering, cancer, threats, and death. I love John Piper’s definition of the Christian’s hope. “Hope is a heartfelt, joyful conviction that our short-term future is governed by an all-caring God, and our long-term future, beyond death, will be happy beyond imagination in the presence of the all-satisfying glory of God.” The hope of the Christian looks to Jesus instead of the “next thing.”

Our friend, Jennifer Naraki went home to be with Jesus a few days ago. As cancer took it’s time working its way through her body, Jen’s hope was made continually sure–hidden in Christ alone. She is now whole, completely righteous before her holy Judge, happy beyond imagination, and probably belting out, “In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song; This Cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease! My Comforter, my All in All—Here in the love of Christ I stand.”

Where does your hope lie, friend? Perhaps it’s time to set it right. Let’s worship together and show our children what it looks like to hide our hope in Christ and find all our satisfaction in the sovereign God of the universe.

Chances are you know this modern hymn already. If it’s helpful to you, please use our YouTube Channel to hear it so you can sing it with confidence. We’ve added  a few versions of the hymn to the top of our playlist for you to choose from. You’ll also find free printable lyrics, music, and a copywork page to help you along.

We encourage you all to gather up your families, for just a few minutes each day, to sing, discuss and memorize this hymn, whether it is during family worship, or before bedtime – whatever works best for your family. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask! Let us know if you’ll be joining in!

Click HERE for your free printable lyrics!

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