Who is our first and last hope? As we live our lives and during our journey, we encounter life. Situations and circumstances that are beyond our control. Whether they are financial, relational, work related, or health issues, life happens to all of us. We, as human beings, were created to need hope. Hope gives us the encouragement to look beyond the current circumstances. Hope propels us to move forward. And it is through hope that we endure our current situation because we believe that things will get better. We believe in a future where our tears are wiped away, our hearts healed, and our health is restored.
What or Whom do we put our hope in?
So, the question is, what do we put our hope in? Riches and worldly things cannot guarantee that your body will heal from a terminal disease. Money may get the best doctors and help prolong life but, in the end, they cannot assure a successful recovery. When a person suffers from depression and starts using drugs as their “what” to cope, they instead develop an addiction. Their situation worsens instead of improving. Regardless of what the situation is, we cannot put our trust in a thing, a person, or anything worldly.
Then maybe we should ask, in whom do we put our hope? We put our hope in God. He is the only One who gives us hope, the true hope we need to survive our life’s journey. As David said in Psalm 39:7, And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.
What or Who gives us hope?
Other questions to ask are, what or who gives us hope? And how do we increase our hope? We find the answer in Hebrews 11:1-3 (NLT) What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen… And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him (v.6). Faith in God gives us hope. The more faith we have, the more hope we get!
What kind of faith should we have?
The faith of a child. In Luke 18:15-17 (NLT) we learn from this story: One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him. Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you, anyone who doesn’t have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God.”
What does it mean to have a child-like faith? It means we have an unwavering faith, unmovable. We believe in God and all His promises. We trust in Jesus fully and deeply. In John 14:13-14 Jesus tells us that, “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!”
Our First and Last Hope
In Revelation 22:13 (NLT), Jesus tells us, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Therefore, Jesus is our First and Last hope! We each have a journey to live through on Earth. We all have a race to run and we need endurance, grace, favor, and mercy from God. But we also need faith along the way to sustain us throughout the entire journey. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT) encourage us, Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
I hope this message encourages you to continue your own journey of faith. My heart, thoughts, and prayers are with all my friends, family, and business colleagues who are experiencing difficult circumstances. Don’t lose hope. Don’t lose your faith in God. Whether you get the answer you want or not, God is with you always. I leave you with these encouraging promises from the Scriptures:
Matthew 28:20 “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Joshua 1:9 “This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”