We use ‘hope’ in a very different way than the Bible does... Hope Devotional from May 2020

We hope for our favorite sports team to win.

We hope for that special someone to just say ‘Hi.’

We hope for a better day than yesterday.

Hope, in the way we use it, is based on outcomes. Often outcomes that we can’t control. You could call it ‘wishful thinking.’

The Bible seems to take a different perspective on hope. More often than not, hope is referred to as “confident expectation.” Hope is grounded in knowledge and belief. It moves us from wishing to claiming. There’s nothing wrong in hoping for the best, but when we put our hopes in outcomes and those outcomes never occur, then we find ourselves down the path of skepticism. So, how can we confidently expect that which we cannot see?

I’m reminded of a memory verse from my childhood: Psalm 121. The beauty of the Bible is you can see the same thing over and over but as if for the first time. I felt that way when I read Psalm 121. I knew the words but I never felt the hope.

When uncertainty lies ahead, when there is trouble over the horizon, where shall my help come from? It comes from the Lord. You see we are too often asking “What is our hope?” when we should be asking “WHO is our Hope?” Only when we put our faith, belief and hope in Him can we truly find peace and comfort.

The passage goes on (paraphrasing):

Our God, is the One that made the heavens and earth (He is above us).

He will not let our foot slip (He is underneath us).

He is our keeper and our shade on our right hand (He is beside us).

He will guard our going out and our coming in (He is behind us and before us).

The promise for today is that when our hope is in God, we know that He is in control. In His presence we find comfort...and there’s no place I’d rather be.

- Bernhard Samuel, Treasurer; Christalis Inc.

Here's a short video on Hope by Christalis Board Member and Sponsor of a child at Christalis, Pastor Rick Johns