“One who has hope lives differently.”
– Pope Benedict XVI
Hope is more than wishful thinking. We might say, “I sure do hope that today goes well,” but that doesn’t mean we have any real reason to expect it to go well. When the Bible talks about hope, it is referring to an expectation of the future based upon the character and promises of God.
God has a track record of faithfulness, the Bible is full of testimonies of God following through on his promises. God is more than karma or a genie in a bottle. God is in relationship with us and actively working in our lives.
We have hope for tomorrow not because we know exactly how everything will work out. We have hope for tomorrow because of the finished work of Jesus. We have hope because we know that God is good, faithful and present with us. Jesus is the anchor or hope that holds us firm through all uncertainty.
We live differently because the future isn’t something to be feared, discerned or controlled. The future is held in God’s hands and covered by the work of Jesus.
| December 1 | Isaiah 8:19–9:2 |
|---|---|
| December 2 | Matthew 12:18–21 |
| December 3 | Romans 5:1–5 |
| December 4 | Ephesians 1:1–14 |
| December 5 | Romans 8:18–25 |
| December 6 | 1 Peter 1:3–8 |
| December 7 | Psalm 130 |
“Optimism and hope are radically different attitudes. Optimism is the expectation that things—the weather, human relationship, the economy, the political situation, and so on—will get better. Hope is trust that God will fulfill God’s promises to us in a way that leads us to true freedom. The optimist speaks about concrete changes in the future. The person of hope lives in the moment with the knowledge and trust that all of life is in good hands.”
– Henri Nouwen