The Essence of Hope
The soul is the emotional seat of an individual. This is where the “who we are” lives. The seat of the senses, desires, affections, ability to respond – the real me. Biblically, we are often referred to as the body, soul and spirit. We respond emotionally from the soul. There is hope for the hopeless. There is hope in every situation.
When God breathes life into a body, this is also the beginning of the hope we have.
And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Genesis 2:7
Hope is evidenced early in a child’s life. I have seen a screaming baby stop suddenly, open his eyes, and look with hope to see if a loving parent is there. Not seeing someone or feeling someone, the screaming returns at an even higher volume.
A toddler, with no understanding of the laws of physics, will jump off a high kitchen counter without fear – Hoping? Believing? – just confident that Dad will catch him. He has no fear of the unknown.
As we age, as we test and determine the trust we can have in hope, we nourish it and it grows in us. Hope is the spiritual part of a human being regarded as immortal.
Hope is the sparkle in the eye, the determination of step, the quest for forgiveness, the animation of a dream culminating; the belief that there is a person out there with whom to share love and life; and the hope of eternal life that is promised in what Jesus Christ has done for us. There is hope for the hopeless.
Children are the hope of our future
When God breathed life into the body formed of dust, hope sprang eternal. A myriad of possibilities is given to man. Individuality to all, to a thumb print. Hope that would last throughout eternity.
But it is a spirit in people, the breath of the Almighty, that makes them understand.
Job 32:8 (NET)
And we want to understand. I am blessed with several grandchildren who brighten my world. Grandparents are so fortunate, usually not having full responsibility for raising the young, but close involvement to enjoy every age of their development. I loved having a close-up view of each child’s development without full time hands-on. This is an enormous gift. There is hope for the hopeless.
Watching how diverse are the gifts given to siblings, and yet recognizing familial traits, creates an interesting subject to bemuse. Observing the innate differences, the peculiar interests, and the child’s levels of response, as well as their similarities, are a life-long and fascinating study of the developing child.
13 For you created my inmost being;
Psalm 139:13-14 New International Version (NIV)
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.”
Living a Life Filled with Hope
We all yearn for a life filled with hope. The hopeless are the most helpless. We must nourish that hope within us and reach out to others.
We must seek the true God, Jesus Christ, that gives us that hope and draws us to Him so that we may believe in His grace and His faithfulness to fulfill that hope in us.
The blessed Christian hope is the confident affirmation that God is faithful.
He that began a good work in you will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus
Philippians 1:6
Hope is Powerful
- Hope defeats negativity. Hope teaches us to love all people and to work for the betterment of all.
- It removes despair. Hope and love are powerful together, erasing inequalities, breaking down barriers, lifting one another up, producing God honoring citizens.
- Hope allows joy to surface. Hope helps failed plans resurface; new ideas, cures, vaccines to be found; space to be explored; masterpieces and symphonies to be completed.
- It grows in a child as God reveals Himself to that child, resulting in spiritual understanding, a grace provided salvation and a home in heaven.
Hope Changes Things
The world is brighter, our step is lighter, sin loses its power – when Hope reigns.
In the scriptures, we are even called to give an account for the hope that is in us – with gentleness and reverence.
Hope is believing that things will improve. It is the belief that happiness will be found. The confidence that the right person will step into one’s life.
Hope leads us to the assurance that God is God. and that Jesus is the Savior extending salvation and eternal hope to all who believe.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness – Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate – Only love can do that.
Martin Luther King
Hope accelerates these happenings. When we have hope we can share that hope and be the light in the darkness for the hopeless.
Love casts out fear. Hope casts out darkness. Let’s be a part of the army for hope and love through faith.
Share hope with the hopeless
- Hope brings light – the light of the world is Jesus.
- Love is of God for God is love.
- Our Hope is in God through His Son, Jesus Christ. We have reason to be hopeful, to be joyful. Let us love one another.
- Hope is real. Hope is powerful. Hope changes things.
- Jesus is the Hope of the World.
- We CAN be carriers of Hope in our world.
- May hope and love abound!
Being confident of this very thing, that He which hat begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ
Philippians 1:6
