What do the following have in common? An unemployed man flees his life of poverty by becoming a suicide bomber. A soldier unable to defend his homeland hugs a grenade to his chest in one final act of “honor.” A new mother guilt-ridden over the accidental death of her infant, swallows a bottle of sleeping pills.
All are dying for an overlooked but essential ingredient in life: hope. Paul writes that “three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Many are so impressed by love’s importance that we fail to notice that hope made the cut. We understand why we must have faith in God and love our neighbor, but why must we hope?
Without hope, we will wither and die. With hope, we can “soar high on wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31). The only reason you and I continue to get out of bed each morning is that we believe this day can be better than the last. Take away our hope and you take away our life.
Most people muddle through their years on surprisingly small hopes. Secular materialists have no ultimate hope, for they suppose that death extinguishes their existence. Even many Christians settle for limited hopes, as they mistakenly believe their only goal is to get to heaven when they die.
The Bible promises something much larger. Paul declared, “With eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay” (Romans 8:20-21). We long for Christ to return and set the world right. He will destroy sin, death, and Satan, resurrect our loved ones, and live forever with us here on our restored earth. He may come tomorrow (or sooner). That is more than enough hope for today!
More:
• Jeremiah 29:11
• Lamentations 3:21-23
• Titus 2:13
Next:
What do you want more than anything? How does your dream drive the choices you make today?
Keneld on March 29, 2009 at 9:27 am
This is good Stuff…….when I think of the the verses in 1Cor 13 I have always concentrated on what was said about love….but Hope is so important also …..Thanks for opening up my understanding……..Good Stuff
abalderama on March 29, 2009 at 1:15 pm
When I think about Hope I think about Faith. Not too long ago I had a sibling existing on life support and I know although I had given it to God, one of my sister’s called me one day and said “Hope is having Faith when doubting would be easier”. That has stayed with me from then on. We all have to remain steadfast in our Faith no matter the outcome.
cryogenia on March 29, 2009 at 5:01 pm
It is not very easy to have faith and hope where everything seems so bleak in life. This is especially even more so when God seemed so far away and everything that you treasure in your life simply falls away one by one…
I’ve personally experienced this situation before, until I felt that life totally has no meaning at all. During that time, God had taken away my money, my business and my relationship, etc. Of course, I was mad at God and instead of having perseverance and patience, I was losing faith in God.
Nevertheless, even during these trying circumstances, all is not lost. Now, when I looked back at what I had lost, I am so glad that God had made me lose everything that I held dearly, as these are the things that had became idols in my life. God actually had wanted me to be nearer to Him and enjoy His presence instead of the material things.
There will always be hope, when it seems like there’s no hope. This is because we are the children of God. God will not abandon us like that. He loves us. And like my situation, He ‘punished’ me for a while until I repented of my sins and my mistakes.
As a result of these, I began to have more faith and trust in God nowadays. My advice is: Be alert to all possibilities and never, never waiver from your faith. Even in the darkest hours and the bleakest of situations, God is always beside you. He will NEVER, NEVER leave you nor forsake you.
Faith, hope and love indeed endures forever…
tom felten on March 29, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Cryogenia, thanks so much for your transparency. Your comments resonate with what God has taught me over the last several years—showing me that health, wealth, and fulfilled dreams pale in the perfect light of the plans He has for me. It’s not always easy in this life, but I’ve found that we can know the truth and hope revealed in Proverbs 3:5-6. Yes, His presence is constant. His perfect will can be trusted.
John Paul Brose on March 30, 2009 at 11:10 pm
Ohhh man that is some good stuff. That speaks to my Spirit. God has really been laying HOPE and LOVE on my heart lately.