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Hope |
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Of all the gifts bestowed upon the child of God hope may be the most personally appreciated and gratifying, for hope gives comfort and optimism about the future. Hope reminds us that we are not alone or abandoned by our God. Even in the most trying times of crisis, hope pulls us through.
Here are the technical meanings of the word hope. In the Hebrew it is an expectation of good. The Greek is much the same, with hope being to anticipate, usually with pleasure. It involves a confident, quiet, restful waiting.
The usage of hope is found with God and His word as our hope. Jesus Christ is the object of our hope. There is the hope of salvation, healing, saving and deliverance. Hebrews 6:18,19 begins by telling us that God cannot lie nor does He change. Thus, we have a strong consolation (comfort, reassurance), and are to run unto Him for refuge and lay hold of His hope. The Christian hope is “as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.”
The realm of hope exists in two spheres. It concerns the future and change. Both of these have the quality of uncertainty. Men without hope are fearful when it comes to the future. But the child of God should have assurance and confidence. Hope looks beyond the present, existing conditions, and discouragements.
There is a great contrast between the hope of the world and the hope of the child of God. When the world speaks of hope it speaks of wishing, desiring things with little confidence. That hope is shrouded in uncertainty and doubt, relying only on possibilities and probabilities. In reality the hope of the world has is no hope at all. The best it has are chances. This is a poor foundation to place expectations.
The hope of the Christian is best defined as “earnest expectation.” God’s children who are living a life embracing their faith possess this earnest expectation for God to fulfill His promises to them. The Christian does not wish, he expects! It involves no doubt or uncertainty. It has the firm foundation of God’s unchanging word and is anchored in Him.
As stated above the realm of hope lies in the future and with an expectation of change for the good from the present circumstances of life. Everyone in this life is continually at risk from the universal distresses of life. For the lost, this may be the only jeopardy they have in this life. But, for the children of God, their exposure to crises is beyond that of problems common to all men. We have the adversary, Satan, at our heels ready to afflict. We also have unique problems brought upon us as trials, testing, temptations and proving our faith and us. Finally, God brings His chastening, correction, upon us for our good. So the Christian is far more exposed to difficulties, burdens and grief.
How can we cope with these afflictions? Do we sorrow as the world, which have no hope? Not at all. We have a living hope, we have a happy earnest expectation that whatever evil is upon us today will change in the future. Our faith is the victory over today. With God change is promised, and it is always a change for the good. Recall the words of Paul when he wrote, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” Thus, even if in this life things cannot be altered, they will be in the future. If there is one great teaching in the parables it is that in the next life there will be reversal of conditions existing here. Sadness will become great joy. Grief will become happiness. Sorrow will become praise. The last (least) shall be first (greatest).
The Christian hope is not just in the next life, it is very active and productive in this life. God has made many promises to this effect. He saves in many ways. He has healings, providential care, and blessings for all occasions. We look to Him in faith for the hope set before us. We need never to be in despair or feel abandoned. He will not, not leave you nor forsake you.
One last point to attach to this subject is that of enduring. This point comes with this verse very often misunderstood or misapplied.
1 Cor. 10: 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
At the heart of this verse is the declaration that God is faithful. He will allow any of us to be tempted, tried, more than we are able to endure. The promise is not that He will remove the temptation, though He often does, but to make a way for us. The word “escape” is literally to walk out; hence, here it is deliverance. The last phrase makes it clear we are not delivered from the overwhelming temptation but rather from its power to destroy us. Temptations come with potency and strength to destroy us and carry a powerful influence for sin. The escape is from that force of influence, so that we may be able to bear the temptation without sin. It is marvelous: the ways of God’s power to deliver us from evil. Here is hope, not that we be separated from evil but from its power over us.
Remember, hope is a gift, a grace given to all the saved. It is a tool to use. It is used in conjunction with another gift, faith. Use it.
Wm. Bekgaard
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Next: Mercy
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This page last updated November 19, 2004 at 10:21am
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