I was digging through some old notes that I made on the topic hope, and I thought that I would share them with you. Before I share my notes, I want to ask you two questions. What is hope to you? What is the greatest thing hope for? Ponder on these two questions for a moment, and see if your perspective has changed (perhaps share in the comments).
So what is hope? Hope by definition of Merriam-Webster Dictionary is “to cherish a desire with anticipation (to want something to happen or be true).” By biblical definition hope is in essence “Strong and confident expectation.” I don’t know about you, but I like the biblical definition. Think of it this way, which sounds better: I want life to get better or I am strong and confident that life will get better? Hopefully, you chose the second one.
Now that you know the dictionary definition and the biblical definition, let me share my notes on hope with you. I found two points of hope that I find to be the major points of hope.
1. God doesn’t want us to be depressed, but he wants us to wait and hope in his saving intervention.
Why are you depressed, O my soul? Why are you upset? Wait for God! For I will again give thanks to my God for his saving intervention. ~ Psalms 42:5
When things get rough, and there seems to be no way out; God wants us to keep our hope in Him. When it seems easier to just be depressed, God wants us to keep our hope in Him. WAIT FOR GOD; HE WILL SAVE YOU FROM YOUR DESPAIR.
We must be like Paul and Silas when they were locked in prison (they were strong and confident that they would be delivered). In times of misfortune, we need to begin to pray and sing praises to God (just like Paul and Silas), and wait for God. He will send His saving intervention in our times of despair.
2. Jesus is our ONE TRUE hope. He is an anchor for the soul.
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast, which reaches inside behind the curtain. ~ Hebrews 6:19
Jesus is the ONE AND ONLY TRUE hope. If you anchor your hope in Him deeply, then your hope in Jesus will remain sure and steadfast. It will remain sure and steadfast during your time of loss. It will remain sure and steadfast during a financial crisis. If you place your hope in Jesus, it will remain sure and steadfast during your darkest times. The best thing about this hope is that it never changes; you just have to reach out and receive it.
And as always, I have a song to go along with something. And Hebrews 6:19 reminds me of the song “The Anchor Holds” by Ray Boltz.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSAc5Z2lprk&w=560&h=315]
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