Hope

Our Sunday school lesson this past week was a word study on the word hope. Do you have hope? If so, what is your hope in?

MSN Encarta Dictionary defines hope as 1. confident desire. 2. likelihood of success: a chance that something desirable will happen or be possible. 3. wish or desire: something that somebody wants to have or do or wants to happen or be true. 4. source of success: somebody or something that seems likely to bring success or relief. 5. trust: a feeling of trust (archaic).

The original Hebrew word translates into trust (104x), confidence (4x), or secure (4x). As Christians our hope (be it here on earth or in eternity) is in Christ Jesus - what He did on the cross - and in the assurance God's word gives us that God will accept Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf. Our hope is based on facts, truth that has been revealed to us through the bible. The modern book definitions base hope on our expectations, desires or chance - while our desire may be the same as our assurance - it is by no means based on chance.

Too many times we place our hope in ourselves, our family, our church, or our jobs. Our teacher Brian pointed out that many Americans are placing their hope in our new president. That's a lot of pressure for one man. When Christ was crucified He had the full weight of every man's sin on His shoulders. He is the God-Man; He alone is powerful enough to be our hope.

So where am I going with this - I'm not sure. I've felt led for some time to share some things and can't figure out how to dive into them. I'm searching for something that connects them - I think its hope. Hope for us all.

I have a friend who's miserable. Her marriage is on hold - she and her husband have had no contact for a month, they've been separated for nearly six months. I see her pain, and I tell her that God is in control, God can heal her marriage, God is her hope. But is He, will He? Why is He taking so long to heal her marriage? Why won't He just snap His fingers or breath His powerful breath back in to their lives. What lesson are they to learn before He will restore their relationship. What lesson must others learn? Would God's will really involve them splitting up? Maybe we can justify divorce by saying that their marriage was never God's will to begin with. I don't think that's the answer. Love is a choice we make; we choose to love each other when we're not lovable. I've learned a lot about my own marriage by watching hers fall apart. I've learned to be thankful for the husband I have. I've learned to say, "I love you" with hope - with confidence in who Jesus is in our relationship - I love Eric because Jesus enables me to - not of my own power. I Think we often say, "I love you" out of habit - we must not only say it, but mean it and show it with our actions.

I will never condone divorce, rehabilitation can occur in any marriage - not to say that there aren't unsafe situations and that women (or men) should remove themselves from that situation. But I have to say - I've certainly felt like God is ignoring the pleas of His children in this situation (although I know He isn't). I've even come close to saying - give up, even though my heart still knows that my God is big enough to heal this.

There's a song by Casting Crowns, it's from an older album it's called Love Them Like Jesus, I've been hearing it a lot lately. Please take time to not only read the lyrics below but to hear them with your heart.

The love of her life is drifting away
They're losing the fight for another day
The life that she's known is falling apart
A fatherless home, a child's broken heart
You're holding her hand, you're straining for words
You trying to make - sense of it all
She's desperate for hope, darkness clouding her view
She's looking to you
Just love her like Jesus, carry her to Him
His yoke is easy, His burden is light
You don't need the answers to all of life's questions
Just know that He loves her and stay by her side
Love her like Jesus, Love her like Jesus
The gifts lie in wait, in a room painted blue
Little blessing from Heaven would be there soon
Hope fades in the night, blue skies turn to gray
As the little one slips away
You're holding her hand, you're straining for words
You're trying to make sense of it all
They're desperate for hope, darkness clouding their view
They're looking to you
Just love them like Jesus, carry them to Him
His yoke is easy, His burden is light
You don't need the answers to all of life's questions
Just know that He loves them and stay by their side
Love them like Jesus
Lord of all creation holds our lives in His hands
The God of all the nations holds our lives in His hands
The Rock of our salvation holds our lives in His hands
He cares for them just as He cares for you
So love them like Jesus, love them like Jesus
You don't need the answers to all of life's questions
Just know that He loves them and stay by their side
Love them like Jesus, Love them like Jesus


I hear that song and I think of people I know. It speaks of death and grief but there are so many things of darkness that cloud our view. I think of my own past hurts, I know that Jesus was there, He's here with us now. I know that He loves us and I know that if I can love them like He does and if I can help carry them to His feet that they will find refuge and that they will feel the glorious hope He has given me and all who call upon His name. It reminds me that He does hold our lives in His hands, He is completely capable of meeting our needs, healing our hurts and being our hope.

My desire this year is to share with others the hope that Jesus gives me, for God to take my sarcasm, pride, and apathy away, and to fill the gaping hole with more of Him. If only my actions would follow my heart. Pray with me please. Pray for my friend too.

So this isn't all that I've needed to share - it is what God would have for today. I pray God's blessing on each of your lives.

There's light at the end of the tunnel... and no, it's not a train.

Heather