by Linzy Slayden
The rapid changes in our world can give us a sense of uncertainty and unease. We can be thrown off balance by the suffering we see around us, the evolving technology that outpaces our ability to absorb it, and the daily problems of a political, economic, and spiritual nature.
As problems mount, we can become discouraged and lose heart. But basing our hope on man’s ability to solve problems or modify a situation is not the answer. That only gives temporary peace. The root problem of our culture is spiritual.
The challenge is we speak of hope more often than we believe in it. Hope is not a strong word for many. It has more to do with “wishing” than “expecting.” It has the sound of resignation, an inability to bring about, influence, or even believe that a desired event or goal might ever come to be. “Well, I hope so,” we say sarcastically. Hope, as we understand it, is not a word of excitement and expectation. It speaks more often of resignation and helplessness.
The New Testament’s use of the word is different. Repeatedly Paul writes about hope. To the Thessalonians he writes of the armor of God, including the “hope of salvation” as a helmet. To the Colossians he writes of the “hope laid up in heaven,” and of the “hope of glory.” Peter writes in his first letter, “we have been begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
The secular non-religious understanding of the word bothers me. I don’t like the word without it’s Christian meaning. When the world says, “I hope so …” doubt resides in the sentiment. Our hope is different. Our hope is not a sentiment. Our hope is a hope that does not disappoint. How differently the Bible uses our word. Rather than resignation, the word bristles with excitement and expectation. It is for the writers of both the Old and New Testaments a strong word filled with encouragement.
It’s more than a word game. A lively and excited hope is a necessary ingredient in the Christian life. Our being able to hang in there in the difficult times is determined by the nature of our hope. For Christians, it has to do with our holding to the promises of God, the integrity of God. We know in whom we have put our trust. Even if hope’s fulfillment is delayed, we have no doubt that God is faithful.
Our hope must rest always in God’s love and His faithfulness. In a post-conservative, post-modern, post-Christian, anti-truth world, we need the hope that comes from God. It is this hope that we take across the street and around the world. It is this hope that our world needs. It is this hope that makes a difference. We have the call, the opportunity, and the power to take it to a world of souls outside of Christ. Let’s work together to do that.