Paul starts with a prophesy from Isaiah about the coming of Jesus. He says that He will rule over the nations and that in Him people will be able to find their hope.
There’s something really beautiful about this verse to me. It reminds me that in a time where it can be so easy to place our hope in other things, our hope and trust is only ever truly secure in Jesus. When we chose to trust in the Lord we never end up disappointed. He is faithful to do what He says He’s going to do. And in that time of trusting Him, He fills us with joy and peace.
More times than not, God is not the person I try to put my trust and hope into. Instead I place my hope in myself, thinking I can control and handle everything. By doing this, I am certainly not filled with joy and peace. Instead I am usually filled with stress and anxiety.
Hoping in the Lord is an act of worship. It’s saying, “God, I am not sure of what the outcome is going to be, but I trust that You make all things good.” It is telling God that I am giving up control and giving it to Him. By doing this, He will replace those anxieties with peace and joy. This is the kind of hope our souls can be anchored in.