THE PROMISE OF HOPE

by Tim Knappenberger

One hope of my life is

How often we use the word. "I hope he/she calls. I hope I'm considered for that promotion. I hope you won't think poorly of me. Now don't get your hopes up. I hope, I hope, I hope!" By virtue of how often it crops up in our daily conversation, it's obvious that hope is of vital importance to us humans. We even name our daughters after it. But what does our seeming obsession with hope say? As with other things in life, humans maintain a love/hate relationship with hope.

But what is Hope? Nothing but the paint on the face of Existence; the least touch of truth rubs it off, and then we see what a hollow-cheeked harlot we have got hold of. -- Lord Byron (1788–1824).

Ouch! Seems Lord B. experienced his own disillusionment over some hope he held during his life.

Hope, the patent medicine - For disease, disaster, sin. -- Wallace Rice (1859–1939).

Then there is Rice reminding us that hope itself is life-sustaining. Pull out your Bible's concordance and see how important the issue of hope is to God. Hope has been considered the "chief export" of the Christian community. If there is anything that draws people to new life in Christ, it is "the hope that we profess." Yet, do we as believers really know what hope is all about? Sometimes I fear not.

You see, Christians mistake the action of hoping with the object of hope. Let me explain: The action of hoping, as Scripture defines it, is primarily waiting. We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. (Ps 33:20) Waiting is our responsibility. But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Rom 8:25) Waiting is tough. Waiting leaves us wondering if we've been forgotten; if we've "missed the spiritual boat." Often we wait in unattractive ways. We worry, we fret, we whine, we curse. But tough as waiting may be, it doesn't begin to compare with trying to muster hope by ourselves. This is the mistake Christians often make. They falsely believe that they are the ones that must create and maintain hope in their hearts. Wrong! Take another look at Romans 15:13. Who owns hope? Answer: The God of hope. How do we overflow with hope? Answer: By the power of the Holy Spirit. Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. (Ps 62:5) Where does hope originate? Answer: From Him. The stuff of hope is simply not ours, it is God's. How many times have you or someone you've known felt discouraged and defeated when hope has waned? You feel hurt or angry at a person or thing that betrayed your trust. In response, people sometimes vow never to trust again for fear of having their hopes dashed. At other times they berate themselves for allowing hope to fade and try a host of techniques to "pump" themselves up again. Both approaches are harmful, not to mention futile.

What makes the formula of hope work is when we distinguish our part of the equation from God's. If we remember our job is to WAIT while God's job is to SUPPLY, we will find ourselves less frustrated and much more hopeful. As a Christian, a desperate world is watching you, hoping against hope that you can show them something upon which they can place their hopes. Show them Jesus.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Rom 15:13

Please drop Tim a line at   knapp@raex.com