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“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”  Romans 15:13 (ESV

In a world that consistently seems to be growing darker, we all long for hope. Not just any hope because the world’s hope is fleeting and fluctuating. The hope we need and desire is an eternal hope found in God alone.

The Hebrew word for hope (tikah)  means cord or rope, which symbolizes strength and reliability. Biblical hope is a lifeline anchored in the reliability of God. His hope is integral throughout scripture and played a key role in the overarching story of the Children of Israel. As they cycled through doubts, rebellion and questioning, we can see their eventual return to hope in God.

Hope is never extinguished with our Sovereign God. We can hold on tight to the One who is forever faithful and true. This inner attitude of confident expectation is active and reveals an enduring, patient trust in God. His character is consistent and flawless.

The book of Psalms conveys the beauty of hope in God as expressed by David – a man after God’s own heart. Filled with authentic emotion, Psalms refers to hope twenty-eight times, more than any other book in the Bible. These prayers and songs are deeply rooted in the experience of longing, trust and faith in God’s promises.

Absolutely love the pivotal truth of Psalm 25; God is our hope all day long from now to everlasting. Love the promise of Psalm 33; His unfailing love produces confident hope in Him. When discouragement seeks to overwhelm us, Psalm 42 compels us to put our hope in God alone. If doubts cloud our thoughts, Psalm 71 reminds us of our trust and hope in God from our childhood. And when we visit Psalm 119, we are inspired to place our hope and trust in God’s Word.

Sweet friends, posturing our hearts in God’s hope positions us for His best. We can lean on Him even in the midst of our hardest days because His presence and goodness are ever surrounding us. We might not feel it. We might question it. We may even deny it. Yet, the Word of God confirms the pivotal truth – Hope is the vital connector between present suffering and future restoration.

As the chapters of our stories unfold, we can see God as our sustainer, provider and hope lifter. He redeems all things. He births glory to His name in all things. He enables us to flourish and bear fruit because our God holds it all together. Nothing is a surprise to Him or catches Him off guard. God knows all, sees all and works through all.

If our hope is wavering, sweet friend, then we can nourish our soul in the book of Psalms and listen to the heartfelt cries of those who moved from hopelessness to hopefulness. Graciously, God will move us from uncertainty to resilient confidence in His Sovereignty – a total surrender to His plans.

“Father, Your Word is a firm anchor we can hold onto in this broken world. We can trust You to fulfill Your Word and promises to us. Strengthen us in hard places and ignite a deep well of hope within us so others will see where our strength comes from.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life