November 30: THE EFFECT OF HOPE

The greatest need in the world today is for “hope”. There is simply an overwhelming flood of hopelessness and many are drowning. It is kept hidden as much as possible but on other days is just overflows. I heard an advertisement on the radio recently that said if your mortgage is being foreclosed call: 995-HOPE. I am sure they were deluged with calls. When most people talk about hope they are talking about a warm and fuzzy feeling positive about stuff. “I hope my team wins”. “I hope I have a date for Saturday night”. “I hope I get a puppy for Christmas.” Many times people speak of hope in some area that they have no chance of receiving a positive answer.
I am talking about the hope that is the center of the message of Jesus. Christianity is the only religion that offers hope. Other religions focus on despair. There is no joyful music, only dirges and dark chants. The end of this life means reincarnation as an animal or being absorbed into the great nothingness of nirvana. Jesus lived a life of hope and he gives it to his followers. That’s why the Apostle Peter says in 1 Peter 3:15, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give reason for the hope that you have.” Paul says in Romans 5:5, “hope does not disappoint.” That’s why I am writing today about the Christian hope.
Here is the definition of hope: in New Testament times, the sailing ships did not give great security. Especially at night, because they had no lighting for sailing close to shore or when a storm was coming. They found a small inlet or protected cove. Then they put the large anchor in a small boat and the sailors carried the anchor into the quiet cove and dropped the anchor and it quickly dropped to the bottom and the boat was secured. The rope that reached from the ship to the anchor is the same root word as the word “hope”. You see, regardless of how strong the storm might be in the ocean or sea, the boat was safe because of the rope. The anchor would not move and the sailors were safe. They knew the rope would hold; they had a hope that could not be shaken. That is hope. That is what we need.
Maybe the greatest evidence of hopelessness is the use of cocaine in America. We have 5% of the population but we consume 50% of the world’s cocaine that we use as a substitute for hope. Grab hold of Jesus! Let Him be your hope, He will never fail you!

“Thank You, God, for the gift of hope in and through Jesus that
recreates us through a new birth and regenerates us for eternity. Amen”