Hope

…And the mystery is that Christ lives in you, and he is your hope of sharing in God’s glory.
Colossians 1:27 (CEV)

Why do we say that our hope is in Jesus Christ?

‘Hope’ is expecting a desire to be fulfilled. If I have ‘hope’, I am optimistic about my future. Before I accepted my need for a savior and that Jesus IS my Savior, I had only what I could see with my eyes. I had only this world and what it could give me. Frankly – if THIS is all that there is – I want a refund on my life!

• Gas prices are climbing – Vacation? Not happening. I want to move closer to my work to save money!

• War in several countries with young men and women making tremendous sacrifices, including their lives.

• Health care costs are climbing and insurance coverage is declining. Even those of us who have insurance have to figure out how to afford the co-pay.

• Violence is no longer something we see in wars and in movies or TV but it is in our workplace, our schools, and on our roads.

• Marriage is considered an ‘option’ for those in love and children with parents married to each other and leading lives to be imitated are rare.

Hope is what I see when I look at Jesus. Hope is what I know when I read God’s truth. Hope is what strengthens me when my world is shook with disease, death, and situations I cannot understand. Hope comes when I go to my knees.

Jesus, God Himself, came to this earth and took on the life that we have here. He walked. He slept on the ground. He was mocked by ignorant people. He put out His hands to help and people wanted to stone Him. He healed ten lepers and only one said, “Thanks”. Jesus came to my life, in this world, and walked so that I would have hope when I had to walk the same roads.

Paul speaks of hope to the Romans reminding them that hope is expecting something you cannot see. If you can see it, then you don’t hope for it! AND Jesus knew that we need help to hope and so He sent us His Spirit to strengthen us in our weakness. (Romans 8:18-39) Take a few minutes today and read (or re-read) that passage. Soak in the words and allow hope to grow inside of you.

In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge let me never be put to shame.
Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness; turn your ear to me and save me.
Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men.
For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth.
From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.
I will ever praise you. Psalm 71:1-6 (NIV)