Finding our way through the Wilderness

Luke 6:20-21

New International Version (NIV)

 ²⁰ Looking at his disciples, he said:  "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
²¹ Blessed are you who hunger now,
   for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
   for you will laugh.

Day Twenty-Nine

Hope for the Hopeless

Hope gives us life. Hope gives us joy. Through hope smiles and laughter are born. In times of despair hope is sometimes the only thing that we have to hang onto. With hope our journey through this life is a little less treacherous. But what happens when we are hopeless.

Without hope our lives will be filled with sadness and sorrow. Without hope there is no laughter or smiles, only desolation and frustration. Without hope we will give up during times of despair because we have nothing to look forward to. Without hope our journey through this life can be agonizing and we will never find any solace. Knowing these things is the reason why we strive to keep our hope alive. In order to do that we must find out what hope is and we must understand who we should place our hope in.

Some people believe that faith and hope are the same things, but I would beg to differ. Using both words definitions we will see the difference between the two. Faith is to believe in things not seen. Has we said on Day Twenty-Five, Trust Issues, we walk by faith not sight. Faith is also defined as when you put your belief in and devotion to God.

When you look up the word hope it is defined has a feeling that what is wanted can be had or that certain events will turn out for the best. Hope can also be a person or thing in which all expectations are centered on; i.e.
this is our last hope.

So using both definitions one can see that we can have faith and yet have no hope. We can have faith in God, trust in His word, and believe in His promises but still not have any hope because of our current circumstances. That is to say that sometimes we have faith and believe in God but sometimes we can't see past our present situation, which causes us to lose hope.

So if hope gives us life and joy then what good is it for us to have our faith but to lose our hope and become lifeless and joyless? This isn't the way that God wants us to live. For in His word He says that He wants us to live an abundant life. (Jeremiah 33:6)

There is someone out there that is reading these words and feeling that very way. You are trying to hold on to your faith, but you have already lost your hope. Let me comfort your soul by telling you that there is always hope in Jesus!

Jesus Christ in all His majesty and glory should have been a king on earth. He should have lived in a mansion or a palace. He should have worn the finest linens known to man. He should have feast on the best cuisine while dining with His rich and powerful friends. His body should have been adorned with the rarest and most luxurious jewels. Instead Jesus Christ was born in a manger. (Luke 2:7) He lived amongst the everyday common people. He wore ordinary clothes just like everyone else. He dined on fish and bread with the poor, sick, hungry, and the social outcast. (Matthew 14:13-18) He had no home to call His own. (Luke 9:58). He did not care about the riches of this world. (Matthew 6:19). The only crown He ever worn was made of thorns. (Matthew 27:29). He had to endure pain and suffering. (Mark 15)

Jesus chose to live this way to teach us about hope. His hope was based on not what was happen but what was to come. He taught us that our treasures do not lie here in this world. Rather we are rich or poor, our true treasures await us in heaven. This is why the Apostle Paul could say that he could live full or hungry, with or without, or happy or suffering because he knew that his treasures were in heaven. So in any situation he could maintain his hope! (Philippians 4:12-13)

We can do the same thing. Whatever life throws our way be it good or bad we can maintain our hope because we know that this isn't the end. After this life we will transition to our True home where we will be with Jesus Christ for eternity. All of our hope lies within Him.

So hope nothing of this world, which can only bring you fleeing joy and disappointment. If you place your hope in this world you will be easily moved during times of despair. However, when you place you hope upon the Rock you will be immoveable.

Please join us tomorrow as we continue our journey. Until then God Bless