Hope is Better than We Realize

 I was in the grocery store the other day, and I heard a little boy talking about getting a dog. "I really hope we get a new puppy, mom." I could see longing in his eyes and hear it in his voice. Getting a puppy is a pretty big deal for a kid, and I remember hoping for the same when I was a child. Lucky for me, I've come to be the owner of quite a few dogs—each very special to me.

Maybe like me, you have a laundry list of things you are hoping for. I hope I get to go somewhere warm, balmy and tropical this summer. I hope spring weather comes soon—I'm sick of rainy, cold days. I hope my children have the most amazing future and enjoy a close relationship with their Heavenly Father. I hope the money we invested in dog training produces the most well-behaved Jack Russell terrier around (quite the feat). The truth is, I hope for many things, yet my hoping does not guarantee they will come to pass. 

"Hope" is a word we use very differently in our culture than what it means when read it in Scripture. When we hope for something, we are essentially "wishing" for it. Our hope is something we long for, but it simply may not happen. If we applied this same meaning when we read this word in Scripture, it would imply that our hope in God isn't really secure—it's possible, but not guaranteed! When we understand God and His Word, we see how our use of this word today cannot be the same as when it was used in God's Word when relating to our hope being in God.

"Hope" is commonly used to mean a wish: its strength is the strength of the person's desire. But in the Bible "hope" is the confident expectation of what God has promised and its strength is in His faithfulness." (onlinelibrary.wiley.com)

When we speak of biblical hope, we speak of it with confidence. The weather, people, finances, and situations are all circumstantial things we may hope for, but they are not definite and we cannot know how those circumstances will play out. Our hope is a desire, but we may not get what we wish for.

In the Bible, hope and faith are interlinked. When we look at Hebrews 11:1, we see evidence of this: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Our hope is a sure thing, because we have faith in God. This type of hope is only available and known by believers. Our hope is characterized by confidence and not just wishing for something. 

Another characteristic that accompanies our hope is anticipation for something far  better. We are waiting and hoping on our Lord's return to take us home. What is waiting for us—our eternal inheritance in Christ, is far better than the best we can possibly experience here. Our hope lies in a promise given by Jesus when He left this world: "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done (Revelation 22:12, ESV)."

Friends, with all of the uncertainties and painful circumstances we experience, isn't it wonderful to have confidence in our Father? To know He is with us, for us, and coming soon to take us home? This isn't just something we wish for—it's an absolute. Somedays when life hurts—when people disappoint me and my heart is broken, I find such comfort in knowing my trials are temporary. Whatever situation you may be battling in this moment, it has an expiration date. Our hope is something we can be sure of—deliverance is coming!

Maybe when you use this word the next time, you'll remember what it means when it's rooted in God's promises. It can be confusing when we think of hope as only a possibility when we understand the faithfulness of God. And as we read it in Scripture regarding our future in Christ, understand it is a promise and God always keep His promises. Our hope in Christ isn't on shaky ground—it isn't tied to wishing or longing. May we know with absolute confidence that God is our hope, and one day soon, He will bring us into the good of that hope—our eternal inheritance. I long for it—yes. I wish for it—certainly. But oh how awesome it is to be assured of it. 

For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience (Romans 8:24-25, ESV).

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (Romans 15:4, ESV).

"And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you (Psalm 39:7, ESV).

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for being the Source of our hope. Your faithfulness gives us confidence that our hope in You is secure. We don't have to wish or wonder, we can know. We look forward to our inheritance, Lord, and thank You for the hope You have given us. In Your name we pray, Amen.

The Importance of Belonging

 New social situations have always been difficult for me. You may not think that would be true if you know me, but I struggle with walking in a room of strangers and feeling comfortable. The older I've gotten, the more confident I feel in these situations, but I still wouldn't choose it. But when I was younger, the first day of college classes had my stomach in knots, and my breath a little short. There is no way to assess the layout of the classroom ahead of time-you simply open the door and then quickly decide where to sit and what to do. I also remember the new world of attending business networking events where I would walk in a restaurant, know almost no one, and have to find my way into the group. Why are these uncomfortable situations for most of us? It all comes down to our real need to belong and to feel accepted by others.

I can't tell you how many times I have heard someone say, "I don't care what people think about me"! And while it's an easy thing to say, it's almost impossible to fully believe. I don't honestly know anyone who would walk into a room full of strangers whispering and glancing their way, and not feel uncomfortable and upset. I remember studying Maslow's hierarchy of needs in sociology, a theory made up of the five essential human needs. And guess what made the list?-belonging! Belongingness is the human emotional need to be an accepted member of a group. This group can be made up of family, friends, co-workers, fellow believers or strangers. If you are human, you need to belong.

For many of us, it's a lifelong struggle. Even when you do find yourself in a group of familiar people, you question others thoughts of you. You wonder if shared glances and whispers are being made at your expense. You may feel inferior to certain members of your circle of friends or acquaintances. "So-and-so" makes more money than you. Someone else is more physically attractive. Everyone laughs at her jokes, but yours don't bring the same bang. Your co-worker may be the brains behind the project, making you feel inadequate. We come up with a million little reasons why we aren't quite accepted, and doubt our worth and ability to "belong" in this group. And when we do this, we feel less about ourselves than who God created us to be.

I think one of the most refreshing and amazing aspects of being in God's family, is how readily He accepts us. We don't deserve to be in this beautiful family, but through the blood of Jesus, we are made acceptable. In the darkest place of my life, the Son of God came into that space, seeking my rescue. If ever there was a time I wasn't acceptable, it was in the darkness of my sin, and yet the love of Christ was demonstrated in how He chose to meet me in that place. By His blood, I was made right before the Father. God's family is full of misfits-me being one of them. And yet when we come together, we belong because we have been adopted into the family.

When I think of how God sees me as His daughter, it should chase away my insecurities. Not in a way that makes me prideful, but in a humbling way, I can walk in the confidence of His love. Even if people choose to ignore me and not make me feel welcome. Even when I am surrounded by strangers. Because the truth is, I really don't belong here. I wasn't made to fit in with the world-I was made for heaven. Somedays this truth escapes me and I allow Satan to whisper words that cause me to feel anxious and unsure of myself. But I hope that the next time I feel a sense of anxiety in the presence of strangers or those who aren't welcoming, that I will remember who I really am. I pray I'll remember that I am a child of God, and in His Kingdom, I am always accepted. May each of us feel a real sense of belonging when we think of our identity in the best family of all-the family of God!

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12, ESV),

So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another (Romans 12:5, ESV).

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19, ESV),

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God (Romans 15:7, ESV).

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for accepting us. The cost was high-the very blood of Your Son, and we acknowledge this truth and offer our thanksgiving. Help us to remember when doubts and insecurities creep in, that we belong to Your family and nothing can change that. Help us to walk in Your love, and welcome others in the way you welcomed us. In Your name we pray, Amen!

Not Your Average Soldier

 There is something awe inspiring about a Navy Seal. It brings to mind post-9/11 images of men capturing hostages in the most extreme cases in the Middle East. It conjures up memories of the capture and assassination of Saddam Hussein, and the harrowing training and complications associated with this feat. A Seal is the cream of the crop, and requires intense training and skill in order to carry out the responsibilities of their job. Not just anyone can be a Seal, and most of us would not be able to pass the rigorous standards required for the position.

First, a Seal must be a man under the age of 28 (I'm out). They must also be an active-member of the U.S Navy. A Seal must have great vision-not just 20/20, but at least 20/40 in one eye, and 20/70 in the other. They must be a U.S. citizen and pass physical screening that has set requirements for swimming, running in boots and pants, sit-ups, push-ups and pull-ups. There are minimal rest periods allowed between each activity, and to be frank, most of us could never achieve this level of fitness!

Even with extensive training, a Seal is still subject to failure and could fall victim of casualty in training and in combat.  Seals are human and therefore, have limitations. While they have been given top of the line armor, it's not guaranteed to protect them in any and all situations. Being a Seal involves a great deal of personal risk, and while highly revered, they are still men who answer to their commander. This commander is also human, and is subject to failure and defeat. While this group of soldiers are some of the best we've got, they are not infallible and their efforts and victories will see failure and success.

I will never be a Navy Seal. I don't fit the qualifications, and I never could and yet I am a soldier. Not only am I soldier, but my Commander is not subject to failure and defeat. He hands out the best armor to His soldiers and when worn properly, it sufficiently protects us for the battles of this world. The weapons of our warfare don't wound others, but rather defend us from a very real enemy-the god of this world, named Satan! 

God has given us 7 pieces of armor to guard ourselves, but our armor is quite different from the armor of a Seal. What does our armor include?

Belt of truth- the foundation of our faith is based on truth

Breastplate of righteousness- put on righteousness to protect our hearts

Proper Footwear- Guiding our steps from dangerous paths

Shield of Faith- to extinguish the flaming darts of our enemy

Helmet of Salvation- protects the mind from damaging blows from our adversary

Sword- the Word of God is our sword

Prayer- such a powerful weapon we are privileged to have access to.

Practically speaking, how do we see these pieces of armor play out? While there are many examples, we will only name a few. Whispering scripture when faced with temptation of any kind is a powerful way of escape and provides victory over the temptation. Choosing to stand up and speak truth in a world full of lies and deceit is an effective use of our belt. Refusing our feet entrance into places that will bring us down spiritually is good use of our footwear. Putting safeguards in place to keep us accountable from viewing things that are harmful and will lead us away from godliness is another use of our armor. Doing the right thing when it's easier to fit in, exercising faith in the midst of fear, and saying "no" to indulgence of our fleshly desires, are all good indications that we are properly armed.

All around us, there are opportunities for our enemy to attack. But we are not your average soldiers, fighting with man-made weapons. Instead, we have armor that is trustworthy and has stood the test of time. We've been given every weapon necessary to withstand the attacks of Satan, and when we keep our armor on, we will not fall to our adversary. We have the privilege of knowing the final verdict for Satan: failure, defeat and eternal punishment. We also have the joy of knowing our end is secure in Christ. We will never be defeated because our God will be victorious. And while life can be full of trials and temptations that can seem like defeat with our world-focused mind, God has not left us alone without offering us protection. He has given us the tools needed to be victorious over Satan's schemes against us, so that we can live with confidence in the middle of spiritual combat. Let's keep our spiritual vision sharp, living under the protection of our Undefeated God and the armor He graciously has given us. 

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:11, ESV).

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8, ESV).

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7, ESV). 

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16, ESV);

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for the armor You have graciously given us. We often feel weak and we easily fall, only to realize we took off the armor You have given for our protection from the enemy. Help us to stay armed, and to remember we serve a God who is undefeated and will never fail. We have complete security in You, Lord. We pray this in Your name, Jesus, Amen!