Thoughts on Hope

This week I have been doing a lot of thinking about HOPE.

Today is the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The day that around 2000 years ago all of creation held its breath. For a number of hours everything wondered what was happening inside of a roughly hewn stone tomb. Only hours before, the living Word, God incarnate, Jesus was laid to rest in another man’s tomb. The one who created all things, who by His very hand and word formed all things and called them into existence... breathed His last breath while hanging on a cross between two common criminals. Having completed entirely the work that God had given him to do, having fulfilled all the requirements of the law and the prophets, having atoned fully for our sin, Jesus, the light of the world... died.

Like I said... All of creation held its breath. And waited.

But God, knew what He was doing.

In 1 Peter 1:18-21 we read that God had a plan even before the creation of the world. Even before sin had entered the equation, before there was a need for an atoning sacrifice, God had a plan.

Jesus was the plan and His death was all a part of it.

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He (Jesus) was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter‬ ‭1:18-21‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Creation held its breath…

…hoping to see light and life emerge from that tomb victorious over sin, death and darkness.

Our hope is only as good and sure as the one that we put it in.

We know and believe that on the third day, in the morning, that Jesus arose victorious over death, having conquered death by His death and rising again, resurrected onto life. Once and for all demonstrating to all of creation how worthy He is of our worship and allegiance and also in that moment revealing how secure our hope is in him.

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews‬ ‭6:19-20‬ ‭NIV)‬‬

Our hope is not anchored in some fantasy, some dream or wish...our hope is firmly held in the unchanging nature of God, His redemptive completed plan and in the ongoing security of the Living Christ! This is an established, certain and unbreakable hope that supersedes and overcomes all uncertainty, fear, weariness and shaking. He is that firm foundation and secure place for our souls to find their rest and hold fast in this current storm. Jesus has gone before us into eternity and our hope is fastened securely to Him. We can have confidence in Him that we will see the goodness of God in this life and the next!

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (‭Psalms‬ ‭27:13-14‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Put your hope in Jesus today, everything else is showing itself to be uncertain, shaky and changing. If you are hoping on anything else, stop holding your breath waiting and hoping for things to change. Instead, realign yourself with Jesus, wait for the Lord, take heart, be strong and wait for Him. Today you can have a confident hope even in the midst of these uncertain days.

Breathe deep...Choose to Hope.

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”

His name is Jesus!