But...I will hope continually

"But I will hope continually, and will praise thee more and more."
Psalm 71:14

    Covid-19. Civil unrest. Riots in the streets. Wildfires. Hurricanes. Floods. Immorality on every hand. Uncertain elections. Will this ever end? Good Heavens, what will 2021 be like?!

    "But I will hope continually..."

    Don't ever quit! In verse four of this chapter, the author begs God to deliver him from the wicked, from the unrighteous and immoral man. Have you looked around lately and prayed a similar prayer? Lord, what is happening to our country?

    "But I will hope continually..."

    How do we hope continually in such uncertain days? Well, in verse five the psalmist reminds us that while we are hoping continually, our very hope is centered in the Lord. He is our hope! It is in Him we trust, in Him is our fortress, in Him is our deliverance! Our hope is not in our political leaders, our economy, or even in our health. Our hope is not in our circumstances. Our hope is in the Lord!

    "But I will hope continually..."

    But why must we hope continually? If you notice the verse finishes out by saying, "and will yet praise thee more and more." And in the following verses he encourages us to show the Lord's righteousness, and to show the Lord's salvation, and to show to the generation to come His strength and His power. We must not quit! We must not stop hoping! And why should we not hope? God is faithful. He has never failed me yet. I am an optimist, because I serve an optimistic God! There are people watching us, how we handle the news, and the uncertainty. These are young people who are looking for stability, and unsaved looking for answers and truth. Let's praise God today, and speak of His blessings and greatness. The chapter ends in a fitting way...

"My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt."

    "But I will hope CONTINUALLY..."