"Cape Disappointment"

Near the mouth of the Columbia River in Washington State stands Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. The force of the river flowing into the Pacific Ocean creates one of the most dangerous bars in the world. From 1725 to 1961, 234 ships have been identified that were either sunk, stranded, or burned near the mouth of this river. It was Captain John Meares who named the area, "Cape Disappointment," when to no avail he sought shelter from the treacherous sea on July 6, 1788. (Picture and info from www.lighthousefriends.com)


Although most of us have never visited the place pictured here, all of us have experienced disapointment. In fact, Disappointmet is a given in life. The prophet Jeremiah certainly understood it. He writes in Jeremiah 2:36:

Why do you go about so much, changing your ways? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria. NIV

Disappointment certainly is not limited geographically. Unfortunately, some people handle their disappointments by looking for a new location. The problem is that they usually just relocate the problem, when they relocate themselves.

The message this morning is a simple one, and comes from Isaiah 49:23

Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed. NIV

I believe that disappointment flows from misplaced hope. The clear word from Isaiah is that we will not be disappointed if we put our hope in the Lord. We are however so easily distracted by the cares of this world. Fear presses in on us. Our own failures and shortcomings overwhelm us. We are disappointed in others and in ourselves. Therein lies the problem. We need to redirect our focus. Hope in the Lord! You will never be disappointed in Him. The Psalmist put it like this in Psalm 22:4-5:

In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. They cried to to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed. NIV

This morning I want to encourage you with the words of the the old hymn, "Take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there." Take time to lift your disappointments to the Lord in prayer, and when you finish praying, "leave them there, leave them there, take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there."

Finally there are three statements in Jeremiah 29:14 from the Message version that I believe are a powerful word from God today. First, "I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." Second, "I'll turn things around for you." Then lastly, "You can count on it." Put your hope in the Lord today. He will never disappoint you!