Hope.

A four  letter word that has a thousand letter impact!

What do you hope for?

I realised when writing cards and text messages recently that I use the word ‘Hope’ a lot. But each ti
me I’ve used it I’ve questioned myself, do I really only ‘hope’ someone has a lovely day? Or do I want them to actually have a lovely day? Do I hope my card finds them well or do I want them to be well, happy and healthy?

I’m discovering that perhaps the way we use hope has different implications and meanings. When messaging the above I realised that I’m wishing them a good day, I don’t have a certainty that the day they have will be perfect but I ‘hope’/really want it to be.

Our trusty friend dictionary.com came up with the following definitions which supported my text messaging theory in number 1. But check out the 4th definition – ‘A person or thing in which expectations are centered.’ So the hope we have for other people in everyday life is different to the things we put our hope, and essentially trust, in?

In Hebrews the word Hope is described as an ‘anchor for the soul’. I love this so much, but it also makes me think. If what we hope for, or even what we put our hope in anchors our soul, then surely we need to be careful where we place that hope?

Hebrews 6:19 says ‘We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.’ If we take that verse on it’s own it leaves us with the question –

What hope? where is it anchored, how is it secure?

Context:

The hope talked about in Hebrews 6 is the hope that we have and can have in God. In the chapters before we discover how we can boldly come before God as a child would a father because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Chapter 2 beautifully recounts the gift of salvation and how we are adopted into God’s family as his children.

Let’s look at it like this:

Did you ever put your hope in a situation or relationship and come out crushed and with your heart in tatters? At the beginning you were sure this was a dead cert, a forever thing and that nothing could change that but something came along, a bump in the road, a pothole or an emotional hurricane and suddenly everything crumbled to dust and you were left in the wreckage?

It’s an age old story isn’t it? But also a poignant reminder that while love and relationships are beautiful, we are all human, capable of hurting one another and letting one another down.

When we anchor our faith and hope in other people, inevitably there will come the day when they are no longer strong enough protect our hope. Because none of us are perfect.

When we anchor the things that we hope for in God He is big enough and strong enough to hold on to it and not let us down. He’s the creator after all? He knows us inside out, he doesn’t need a manual because he designed us. He created us to be anchored in Him and Him in us.

There’s no-one bigger that we could put our trust in, no one. There’s no one greater. There’s no one above God, no one more powerful, more present, more knowing, more loving than Him. So if you’re going to put your hope and trust in anyone, why would you anchor it to anyone less?

So yes have dreams, love, laugh and live – but make sure your anchor is secure in Jesus Christ. Ask God to be your anchor, ask him to be the one that holds onto your hope so that when you pursue your dreams you know that whatever the outcome, you are secure.

Who do you have your hope anchored in?