Got Hope?
What is hope? Hope is the confidence in a future event; the expectation of good. In order for hope to be worth anything, though, it must be sure. False hope is one of the most deflating things to experience and leaves you worse off than before.
How can our hope be sure, if the future event has yet to happen? When the future event is promised by someone with a perfect track record of delivering on their promises, hope becomes incredibly sure.
“[4] For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” – Romans 15:4
“[23] O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. [24] Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.” – Psa 31:23-24
When the hope for change rests in fallible mankind’s hands or situations outside of our control, it is easy for hopelessness to set in. The lack of hope, that there’s no way a situation is going to get better, is the unfortunate perspective for those without God. If all the future holds for you is accolades and money (at best), which all go away when you become a dirt sandwich, hopelessness is inevitable.
“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:” – Ephesians 2:12
Hope, on the other hand, brings immeasurable strength when it is placed in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross for us. In Him, we have a hope of glory and a promise that the best is yet to come (Rom 5:2, Col 1:5, Col 1:27). In Him, we have a hope that we’re not stuck in our sinful ways; our minds can be renewed through the power of God: change is possible (Rom 12:1-2)!
He is above all and will judge all, which gives us hope when we see evil things in the world around us because He will right every wrong. Hope allows us to endure when we know there’s an end to the travails of this life and that God helps us endure through our tribulations (Rom 5:1-5).
“[24] For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? [25] But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” – Romans 8:24-25
Our hope is sure and steadfast because it is in Christ. There’s no doubt that our sin is covered because the blood-bought check has already cleared. There’s no doubt that we will resurrect because Christ already has. There’s no doubt that God will judge the world because we’ve seen it before.
Those who live to seek the desires and pleasures of their flesh, both saved and unsaved, are living like they have no hope. Those who put their hope in something that is fleeting and vain, have false hope. It’s time to stop living like hopeless people and walk by faith in the life, love, and hope we have in Christ!
