Hope for a future

I found out yesterday that Lee Thompson Young, the handsome brown eyed guy who starred Jett Jackson on Disney channel, committed suicide about a month ago. I woke up this morning thinking about all these other celebrities who have died because of suicide or drug use. I wonder what that moment was like.The moment when you look at yourself and say, there is nothing worth living for. The moment where everything in your life seems to be falling apart and you cant possibly think of one good reason to live. And you know what? I'd venture to say that apart from the hope found in Christ there really is no substantial reason to live. Look guys, Im not trying to sound morbid, I'm just stating the reality. Life is can be really hard sometimes! We've seen that money doesn't satisfy us, people disappoint us, and the joys that we do find quickly pass away. But God. But Jesus. He provides us with hope. Hope for a future. A hope that can be found in no other religion or belief system, except at the cross of Christ. The truth of the gospel. That we were born into this world, separated from the perfect and Holy God by our sins. With no hope. But God, because of the great love he had towards us, took on flesh. Sent his only Son, Jesus. He lived a perfect life, free from sin, and then died. Death. The ultimate penalty for our unrighteousness is death. But Jesus, who never sinned, willfully went to the cross to die, he became our sin. The perfect, holy sacrifice. The only one who could have sufficed God's justice against sin. It didn't end there though. Jesus is risen. Risen. Alive. He's defeated the snares of death. Because he is Love, and he loves you more than anyone in this world ever could. That's not even the end, He has reconciled us to himself. He calls us into this amazing relationship with Himself, and has given us His Spirit within us. He's with us each and every step of the way. He saved us and He will sanctify us. All we have to do is believe that His sacrifice was enough, and live in response to that amazing truth.

That's hope. Knowing that I've been saved. I have the promise of eternal life after this body has passed away. I've been given an amazing hope!! A hope that can be found no where else. Does life still get hard? Of course. But tasting and seeing the goodness of God makes it so worth living. 

So, when you start feeling like there's no reason to live. Remember the words of the one who has saved you unto Himself.

Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Eph 2:10 For [you] are [My] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which [I],God, prepared beforehand that [you] should walk in them. 

Be encouraged,

     He is our hope for living.

[] * denotes that I changed the pronoun used from either 3rd to 1st person, or 3rd to 2nd, to emphasize that these are the words of God to you. Specifically.