Deuteronomy 30, Psalm 130, Ephesians 1

If we remember that what the Lord did for Israel in the physical realm, He does for us in the spiritual, then Deut. 30 becomes a promise for us. The Lord will bring me back from "captivity" - illness, strongholds, grief - to the land of "before." He will turn curses to blessings. He will circumcise my heart (v.6) to love the Lord my God with all my heart and all my soul. And actually, none of what God wants from us is too mysterious or hard to get hold of. Verse 14 says, "But the word is very near you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it." There are no excuses and it's all a matter of the heart.

The Lord said if Israel would turn back to Him after straying away that He would gather them back to the "land of their fathers." The Psalms passage continues this theme. "With the Lord there is abundant redemption."

Epesians 1 describes this redemption. It was provided by the blood of Jesus Christ and by His grace we can know the mystery of His will: that redemption is for gentiles, too. After we hear the word of truth, the gospel, and believe, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is like our engagement ring or our adoption papers. He promises us final redemption when our bodies are gathered with our spirits on that final day.

There is hope for even the "Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!" No matter what happens in our lives, we can remember our future. We know how the story ends.