God’s Hope

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.”  Psalm 62:5 (NLT)

Don’t get your hopes up!  How many times have your friends or family members said this to you?  How many times have you said it to yourself?  Don’t get your hopes up!  Why not?  The explanation is that if you get your hopes up and things don’t turn out like you want you’re going to be so disappointed.  Well, things just may not turn out like you planned whether you get your hopes up or not.  I don’t know about you, but hope is what keeps me going.

“You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.”  Job 11:18

There is a difference between our hope in earthly things and our hope in the Lord.  When we put our hope in circumstances or people or things that the world values, there is always a chance that we will be disappointed.  We may hope against a divorce and when it happens anyway we are devastated.  We may put our hope in a new job that turns out to be nothing like we imagined.  We may hope for a change in circumstances that never materializes.  We may put our hope in people who let us down and disappoint us.

But hope in God is different.  This is the kind of hope that is always there, that never disappoints, that keeps us walking.  It’s the kind of hope that serves as an anchor for our soul, keeping us grounded when the raging waves of circumstances threaten to overwhelm us.  Jesus gives us hope where there is no earthly cause for it.  There is no “maybe” with this kind of hope.  It is confident expectancy.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”  Romans 5:3-6 (NLT)

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke recount the story of Jairus, a synagogue ruler.  His daughter was dying and he had come to Jesus with hope that He would do the impossible and heal her.  He didn’t hope in people or potions or programs.  He hoped in Jesus.  Jesus had agreed to go with him to his house, but had been delayed by the woman with the issue of blood.  Meanwhile things had become even more impossible for Jairus.

“While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. ‘Your daughter is dead,’ he said. ‘Don’t bother the teacher any more.’ Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.’”  Luke 8:49-50

So where do you think Jairus was with his hope right about now?  Don’t you think he would have looked at the circumstances – his daughter was dead – and given up his hope?  Maybe he was thinking that not even Jesus could come against this.  But Jairus did not give up his hope.  He took his eyes from the circumstances and clung to his hope in Jesus and he was blessed.