Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

There is arguably some confusion as to how long a generation is in the bible. Some argue it to be 70 years, but even if it were 20, given that young people start a new generation, that would be 20,000 years that man would have to keep God’s commandments to match His unfailing love.

Historical records indicate man is incapable of keeping God’s commandments at all, much less generationally. Unfortunately man has seen fit to place limits on God’s love rather than accept responsibility for his own failings. For some it is easier to identify God’s sense of justice as God placing limits on man’s opportunity for mercy.

The Old Testament is riddled with examples of God’s wrath. Abraham bargained with the Lord for the sake of Sodom and Gomorrah and got the count down from 50 righteous to 10 righteous souls. It is man who bargains with God and calls a foul when God identifies His demands for right behavior. They excuse themselves with examples from the Old Testament and call God unreasonable.

“Surely God will not condemn me, I am so much nicer than those guys.”

In truth God doesn’t.

Acts 16:31b Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,

If you won’t believe, don’t blame God for being unreasonable.

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

I have been pondering comparatives this morning. While the bible says we are unwise to compare ourselves with ourselves, that was talking about sin behaviors. What about hope behavior?

It occurs to me that anyone that asks about why you have hope sees a different response to the same circumstances which they share. Hope responds differently than hopelessness. True hope is not born of instructional belief. True hope is born of faith experienced. We place our faith in Christ and in doing so He reveals Himself in ways that mere education cannot experience.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith being substance can be quantified and qualified. Educational belief does not provide evidence of its value to a hope beyond the realm of its own understanding. It does not produce faith or hope, only understanding.

My first answer to anyone who asks me about my hope would be the evidence seen by them to even ask. The fact that they notice a difference in my behavior is a form of evidence. My second statement would be that I have a history of evidence provided to me by the One in whom I have hope. Our hope is not placed in a desired end, but rather in the One who has made promises and kept them.

Isaiah 57:10 Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.

My circumstances do not diminish my hope.