November 28, 2021 - HOPE
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Sunday, November 28, 2021
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
When I was asked to write a devotional on hope, I’ll admit I had to pause for a moment and wonder, what is hope and when did I last actually feel it? An answer did not immediately come, so I did what anyone would do when looking for answers… I Googled it.
Google told me that hope is, “an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one’s life or the world at large”. Hmmm. That seems like a pretty tall order lately doesn’t it? With everything that has happened in the last couple of years, it’s easy to see how hope could feel elusive.
It was Christmastime decades ago, when my father’s cancer returned for the final time. Shortly after we learned that Dad was palliative, I received an email chain letter (remember those?) that claimed if I did what it asked, I would get what I most hoped for in the world. Of course, what I hoped for most in the world was for my Dad not to die. My childlike view of hope then was that if I hoped hard enough or long enough and did the right things, like pray to God (and answer email chain letters) then, like Google said, there would be positive outcomes for my life and the world at large.
In the years since my father’s death, my understanding of hope has matured into what I know now is actually my faith in God. That God is my hope. And it is faith in this God of hope that gives me the strength to endure the hard times and excel in the good times. True hope is not within ourselves, but rests in God’s promises and his love for us. Can you look forward to celebrating Christmas with that Hope?
Prayer: We praise you God, that in your great mercy you have given us a new birth into a living hope that is Jesus. Help us to wait patiently and confidently in you. Amen.
Sybil Power is a fellow traveller who lives in Port Williams with her husband Stephen, children Gavin & Garynn, and many critters including two dogs, whom they all hope will eventually stop barking incessantly at the neighbours.