hope – Page 2 – m to the 5th

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

These two things are inextricably linked – hope and faith. It is because of my faith in God that I have hope. And it is this hope that sustains.

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.” (Hebrews 6:19)

Hope may be my anchor, but it is hope that gives me wings as well, allowing me to soar.

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

I need hope’s anchor during life’s many storms. The beauty of this anchor of hope is that it allows me to soar during the storm, through the storm, in the storm, (kind of like Daniel’s three friends walking around “unharmed and unbound” (free) while they were still in that overheated furnace of King Nebuchadnezzar) above the storm – an anchor with wings does that. An anchor with wings? – only hope born of faith in God gives such a gift as this – a winged anchor. It is hope and faith that make such a gift as this even possible. But then -

“Everything is possible for him who believes.” Jesus said this to the father of a boy possessed since childhood of an evil spirit. The boy’s father asked Jesus to help his son, exclaiming, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Then Jesus healed the boy, casting the demonic spirit out of him for good. Hope and faith – believing for the impossible! This father dared to hope for the impossible – the healing of his son. He dared to believe that Jesus could accomplish this long desired restoration of his child to health. He asked Jesus for the gift of faith to believe – to believe Jesus for the impossible miracle he had waited so long to experience.

Hope believes against all odds. Faith stays the course until hope becomes reality.

Hope believes there is light, even when surrounded by darkness. Faith finds its way through the darkness to that light.

Hope believes what is broken can be mended. Faith finds a way to do the mending.

Hope believes the lost will be found. Faith finds the lost and brings them home.

Hope believes there is life after death. Faith holds on until that promised eternal life is entered into, eclipsing death permanently.

hope and faith – the psalmist says –

“No one whose hope is in You (God) will ever be put to shame,” (Psalm 25:3)

The writer of Hebrews tells us –

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

I will hold onto hope and follow in faith where my Heavenly Father leads – after all –

“We walk by faith; not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

my “hope” for you today, dear readers, as for myself, is this –

“May the God of hope fill you (and me) with all joy and peace as you (and I) trust in Him, so that we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

“For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” (Galatians 5:5)

living each day by faith with hope,

sincerely, Grace Day

That’s what I’ve been doing during these dreary gray days following the birthday bash the world just threw for the baby in the manger – aka the King of kings, Creator of the universe, God’s Son, Jesus. As always, it was quite a celebration complete with lots of lights (inside and out), merry music nonstop, plenty of presents (thanks to out of control consumerism) fabulous food, including Christmas cookies of every kind and fruitcake? and dazzling decorations everywhere you looked.

But when the cookies are all gone, the music goes silent, the lights go out, all the presents are unwrapped (no more surprises, no more anticipation) there is nothing left to do but to pack away all the decorations that adorned my home during this season of celebration that has now come to an end. I kind of get used to the Santas and the Nativities and the wreaths and the candles and the tree and the stockings etc. during the month of Advent. I become attached to them and so have been reluctant to pack them away again, even though the party is clearly over. They will leave empty spaces and I will miss them.

So I have procrastinated parting with them, packing them away a few at a time rather than all at once. (I guess this is the opposite of ripping the bandage off completely in one swift motion, rather than prolonging the pain by peeling it off slowly) I chose the latter, so my melancholy has been prolonged in this after the party month we call January. Now January is supposed to be the month of new beginnings and resolutions. That means looking forward, not backward. Perhaps this packing away of the party is painful precisely because it keeps me looking backwards?

Still out are my Zambian Nativity, complete with added Santas and a striped Pixie, and my kitchen windowsill Nativity with Santa bowing at the manger and decor displaying the words “peace”, “joy” and “hope.” Those words aren’t just Christmas words. I want them to be part of my life everyday, not just on holidays or special occasions. Jesus is the Prince of Peace and the angel did tell the shepherds – “I bring you glad tidings of great joy.” And of course, hope has been my word for the year two years running now and I see no reason to give it up for another word at this point. Hope is what keeps me going during the darkest, most difficult times. Hope is the light at the end of the tunnel, the anchor during the storm, the promise of what is to come.

As one of my favorite Christmas songs, “Because of Bethlehem” says about Jesus’s birth, “love is born, hope is here, . . . God with us all because of Bethlehem.” Jesus’s arrival here on earth brought hope for all mankind, hope for each and every one of us in every generation – hope for forgiveness and reconciliation with our Holy Creator God – hope for healing, redemption, restoration – hope for an eternal life with our Savior, Jesus. In fact, Jesus said to His disciples this -

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1-3)

Now that’s a reason to have hope! Jesus came – the reason for the party in the first place – and Jesus is coming back again to take me to be with Him. So today as I continue packing away the party, I think I’ll leave my “peace,” “joy” and “hope” words in my windowsill just a little while longer. I want to take these words with me into this new year. The birthday party may be over but the “after party” has just begun, and while it’s not as advertised and commercialized as the main event, the after party is an adventure, a daily adventure, worth pursuing.

We typically pack away the decorations when the party is over, but we don’t pack away the gifts we received and opened during the celebration. The gifts are ours to use and to enjoy long after the party has ended and been properly packed away. God gave you and me the gift of His only Son, Jesus. Jesus gives us His gifts of peace, joy and hope. I do not want to take these gifts for granted in this new year. Nor do I want to pack them away and forget about them. When I am anxious and sad and despairing, I want to remember that I have been given the gifts of peace, joy and hope. Gifts that I can take with me and experience new every day as I leave the celebration of Advent behind, but take Advent’s gifts with me into this new year. I will not make the mistake of packing away Jesus’s gifts of peace, joy and hope. Jesus told His disciples –

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

King David said this –

“You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” (Psalm 116:11)

And I love these words of Isaiah, which remind me just what hope in God does –

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

With God’s good gifts I can peacefully, joyfully soar on wings of hope in this new year! Impossible?

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ “ (Matthew 19:26)

sincerely, Grace Day