- What can you depend upon?
- What are the things you are sure will turn out as expected?
- Who are you confident will finish what they start?
Questions like this may bring up many quick positive responses. For me, I think of my parents or my wife for example. But the truth of the matter is that they may not be able to finish things or make them turn out as expected because they are only human. Things could happen beyond their control, like sickness or death – and, well, the task will remain in an unfinished state. As much as I expect them to keep their word, they are not all powerful. They have limitations.
This week’s theme for our series in Hebrews is Today…We Hope. When I think of the word hope in the English language it makes me think of dreaming or wishing something would go a certain way. When I was a kid I hoped that I would become a professional baseball player or at least a cowboy. As I got a bit older I hoped I studied enough for my geometry test or I hoped I would sit next to Shannon Erickson while I took that geometry test. Now I hope I don’t pull a muscle when I get up from dinner.
This type of hoping is not much more than wishful thinking or maybe trying to make things go my way with a limited amount of power over the actual results. We can all relate to this type of hope, but this isn’t what our text in Hebrews 6:19 is talking about.
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
When God uses the Greek word translated hope to describe our relationship with Him, it directs us to a positive, encouraging and wonderful reality. To place our hope in God’s love and work is to place our confidence in an unshakable reality. Nothing is more absolute than the promises and attributes of God Almighty. He will not change and nothing can thwart Him from completing what He said He was going to accomplish.
Jesus put the finishing exclamation mark on the sentence of His plan when He rose from the dead. In Jesus’ death and resurrection, He declared to us that not only was He willing to die for us but He also possessed the authority to conquer anything that could try to remove His love from us. Jesus asked his disciples and us in the Gospels to trust Him with our lives. His disciples did that, but even they thought it was the end of Him as He died on the cross. But instead of being no more – Jesus rose to become forevermore! He will keep every promise every time. When we hope in Jesus our souls find their rest.
Hopeful,
Pastor Nick
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