Where Is Your Hope Rooted?
Hope – wanting something to happen. Expecting a certain result.
When you think of the word HOPE, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? What do you “hope” to happen?
I know I can hope for a good night of sleep. For supper to turn out. I can hope for the weather to be nice. That my van will start in the morning. I can hope that my jeans will fit in the morning after an amazing nacho plate :).
But let me take it a little deeper. I feel our world is placing their hope in ALL the wrong places! And me, alike. I can place my hope in a cure for heart disease. In ensuring that everyone is safe and healthy. But in reality, I can only “hope” so much in those in. I can only hope so far in circumstances. What I really need to be doing is putting hope in the one who is in control of those circumstances. Yet we put our…
Hope in the Election.
Yep, I had to go there, but going to get it out of the way. Of course we all have opinions of who we want to get elected. Really, they are just preferences. But what level of hope are we placing in the result? What in the world are we placing our hope in? An earthly person? Here’s the deal. Our citizenship is not here on this earth, which means that this is not our end all. There has been ONE man that can bring us hope in this world. And that is Jesus Christ. For sin came through one man, and sin is redeemed through one man. ONLY ONE MAN. And it’s not an elected official, people! There is a GREATER King, whom we so easily forget about amidst politics, and forget that there is One who is SOVEREIGN over all. Who knows already who will “win”. If we place our hope in an elected official, we will forever be disappointed, angered, frustrated, and annoyed. No matter who it is and no matter what your preference. But if we put our hope in THE One who God elected to save the world, we will not be disappointed. For eternity will be FAR greater – a ruler who cares about every detail of our lives, down the number of hairs on our head. Who is just waiting to bring us to streets of gold. And let me say this. I firmly believe God doesn’t care what earthly party we commit to. In fact, I doubt he will ask me when I’m standing at the gates of Heaven. But what He does care about are the truths we stand up for in the Bible. For the things HE cares about. Hope can only be found in Christ alone, not in any result or election.
Cue the Chris Tomlin song, “He Shall Reign Forevermore”… and yes, I am currently listening to Christmas music.
Hope in cures.
Sorry, had to go here too, but I need the reminder just as much. COVID-19. One of the things that makes my heart ache the most is the fear I see people walking around with when it comes to getting this virus. Now don’t get me wrong. I know that it has killed 1,000s and 1,000s of people; I do not say that lightly! I’m speaking as someone who is labeled “high risk”. But my friend, there is nothing commendable or Biblical about living in fear. The only thing we should be fearing is God alone. And that’s a whole different kind of fear. Do I pray and “hope” for a cure one day for all diseases? Absolutely! I PRAY one day, I will be cured of heart disease – a disease that has no cure. But I can’t place my sole hope in that for even something as personal as this, it is strictly earthly. For in heaven, there IS a cure. For every disease! And until I reach the gates of heaven, I will forever walk with this disease. And honestly, it makes me hope for the hope I have in Christ all the more. And that’s what I want others to live with as well.
We can work our tails off to find cures because I feel God has given his children impeccable minds. At the same time, our hope is never to be in something that will fade.
Psalm 73:26 – My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
My flesh will eventually fail me. So what’s left? May our hope in Christ forever reign.
Hope in money.
Have you ever thought, “if only I made “X” amount, well then my expectations would be fulfilled and I would be happier?” Raising my hand! I remember thinking that back in the day! We can so easily put our hope in what we DON’T have, instead of putting our hope in what we ALREADY have – and that is Jesus Christ. I think there is also something to be said about looking around and being grateful for what God has already blessed us with here on this earth!
1 Timothy 6:6-10 – But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Do I have food and clothing? Yup! Enough said, Kristin. No need to justify or make excuses. I have MORE than enough. And for the love of money, it will never make me happy. May my hope be found in Christ alone!
There are many things in life that we put our hope in, aren’t there? Now I don’t think it’s a bad thing to hope for the “best” in the sense that God is all about using us as instruments of peace and reconciliation. Hope for the broken to be redeemed and for beauty to be birthed out of ashes. For that is all part of God’s redeeming work too. But where is our ultimate hope rooted? May we all reflect on that sobering truth and surrender our lives to the one and only LIVING HOPE.
