Hope

How does one define hope? It’s a simple yet profound question. In light of the recent disaster in Haiti and as we continue to see the ongoing war in the Middle East many might define hope differently. The Haitian people might define hope differently than the soldier’s families back in the States. Perhaps their hope is the same, they just hope for different things. The people of Haiti hope for relief from pain and suffering. They might hope for food, for shelter, or even for water. The family of a soldier in the Middle East might hope for a letter, a phone call, and more than anything to be reunited with a loved one. Some might just be hoping to survive the workday until 5pm so they can go home for the weekend.

The English language is one that is complex and confusing. It utilizes the same word for many various meanings. For instance, someone can love a Big Mac but can also love a child or a spouse. While it is the same word, the meaning varies drastically. The word hope can be used in the same way. A person might say, “I hope our team wins tonight,” but might also say, “I hope the test comes back negative for cancer cells.” It is the same word, but one is much more serious and much stronger than the other. Often, when our culture and society uses the word hope, it is presented with the connotation of a wavering uncertainty. A certain event might happen or it might not. There is a feeling that the possibility is still up in the air. How is the word hope used in the context of faith in God though?

The word hope appears in scripture approximately 146 times. It is used in various contexts and in many different ways. Of all the books of the Bible, Psalms has the most examples of the use of the word hope. Throughout the Psalms, however, the word hope has a meaning attached to it that is considerably different that one might see it in everyday speech of our American culture. The writers of the Psalms give the reader a sense of certainty and concreteness when using the word hope. Hope is something that, through faith and belief, a person can put all of his or her weight on. Right now, it is wintertime. Some might walk onto a frozen lake saying, “I hope the ice holds.” The biblical definition of hope, however, entails that the ice will hold and that there is certainty in the ice. The ice will not crack. It is strong enough and it will hold.

God is that kind of hope. When a person hopes in God then there is a certainty in that relationship that the ice will hold. God has no cracks. He is strong enough to handle anything that is thrown at him. A person can put his or her weight upon God and have confidence that He will not crumble. He has always been, always is, and always will be. He was, is, and is to come. No matter who is president, what natural disaster may befall us, or where there is a war raging, hope is stability. It is stability in a God that rescues and withstands the test of time.