Hope

I think my favorite explanation of the word hope here would be to desire with expectation of obtainment. In other words you want something and you fully expect to get it.

Romans 5:1-11 (New King James Version)
Faith Triumphs in Trouble
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have[a] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.



We often say we hope we get this or that. Or if we are pregnant we might say we hope we have a boy or a girl. We might even say we hope the Eagles win the game or we hope we get to watch it. We might hope someone brings a big chocolate cake like Ginny’s to the potluck or Pat’s hash brown casserole.



The word Hope is often overused and misused. It’s o.k. to hope for these things and desire these things. But I think the true meaning of hope is to sincerely desire something with all our hearts.



I saw a saying recently that said when the world tells you to give up, hope tells you to try one more time. How many of us have heard stories about people who were told they would never walk again, talk again, or maybe a loved one would not live and then that person did live, or did walk again? And you hear the newscaster or the friend of the family member talk about how that person that overcame never gave up hope.



The question is what are we hoping in?



Life is hard. It’s not always easy. And sometimes even when we hope for things and sincerely desire things they don’t happen. Things are constantly changing. You buy a computer and it’s brand new but within a year it’s considered outdated and old. Fashion changes. People change. Your friends will sometimes let you down and your family will sometimes let you down. The world is full of sin and nothing stays constant.



But there is one thing we can all hope in and be assured of.



Hebrews 13:8 says:
8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Romans 5:5 Hope does not disappoint.



Hope in Christ will not disappoint because He is unchanging. If you can trust Him today and hope in Him today you can trust in Him and hope in Him tomorrow. If He is faithful today then he will be faithful tomorrow. If He is sufficient today then He is sufficient tomorrow; even when tomorrow brings sorrow.



It’s easy to say you have faith and hope in Christ when things are going good. It’s a whole lot harder when things just aren’t working out or life becomes heartbreaking. But be assured that hope in Christ will not disappoint. When life seems hard, when your heart begins to break, when the days are dark and the nights are lonely then Hope in Christ.



We hope for things much more important than a football game or a chocolate cake or anything like that. We hope for a future with the One who lived and died for us. No matter how hard this life gets, and be assured there are Christian in other countries facing death and persecution and that could happen here in America and in many ways it already has, but no matter how hard life gets we Hope in Christ. We know that one day He will call us all home to be with Him. We have a salvation that we have been assured of and that will never be taken from us.

Here is something I found: The devil loves to attack and destroy our hope whenever he can. If our faith is weak, our hope will easily fall when the trials and tribulations come our way. The devil’s primary weapon to destroy our faith is doubt. Trials and tribulations are often secondary weapons used in conjunction with doubt. The combination of these weapons can be overwhelming for us if we are not firmly grounded in our faith in Christ.

Satan is the king of hopelessness, and he is a total liar. He has no hope of redemption and seeks to recruit others to adopt his hopelessness for their own lives. We need not believe the devil’s lies, since we have every hope of redemption and forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ!



1. Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,
Gives unto each day what He deems best,
Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

2. Every day the Lord Himself is near me,
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,
He whose name is Counsellor and Pow'r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He made.

3. Help me then, in every tribulation,
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation,
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E'er to take, as from a father's hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till with Christ the Lord I stand.