“Hope: as a desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment, such as –in hopes of seeing you. It is also an expectation of fulfillment or success, such as – there was no hope of a cure. But hope can also be a verb: to cherish a desire with anticipation, such as she hopes for a promotion; or to expect with confidence, such as trust.”
– Webster’s dictionary
I love the word hope and all the depth of meaning it brings. But to me, hope is more than just a word, more than how the dictionary defines it. As Christians, hope is one of the foundations of our faith. We Hope…which means…we wait, we expect, we have confidence, and we trust in God.
Hope is what we hold on to when life gets tough. In those difficult moments we are filled with the hope of all God has promised. We cling to the hope and assurance of God’s amazing love for us. We look forward with hope for what is to come. Hope cannot be seen, or felt, or physically grasped…it is something greater, dwelling deep within us.
I think I love the word hope because it is a word about waiting with great expectation. As we draw near to God with hope, it signifies a deep sense of trust in God, who loves us more than we can even begin to imagine or comprehend. It is a simple word with a deep spiritual meaning. It is a word that is worthy of holding tightly…or perhaps even dwelling on daily.
A prayer for us this week: Lord, as we journey into this season of Advent may we draw ever nearer to you. May we be filled with the wonder of Advent and all that it holds. May we wait with hope as we anticipate the coming of the Christ Child. May we hold on to hope throughout this season and into the year ahead. May we truly grasp the depth of hope in every breath we breathe. Amen.
Advent Blessings,
Pastor Jenni
May we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)