We all have so many different hopes. We can hope to miss the stop lights on the way to the event we are running late for and we can hope that the humidity won’t be so thick today. We can hope that we get a freshly made cup of coffee when we go through the drive-thru in the morning.
While some of our hopes are trivial and only have small impacts on our lives then there are other hopes which are much more significant. Their importance can sometimes change lives or circumstances and have impacts for years to come in so many different ways.
Whether our hopes are big or small they all matter to each of us in that moment.
I heard someone speaking on hope recently. Part of their message described putting our hope in something besides God was like writing in pencil. BUT, when we put our hope in God… that was like writing in pen!!
What a great metaphor to describe the substance that only God can bring to hope.
Pencil is much lighter visibly. Pencil can fade away after a while of it being written on the page. Pencil can easily be erased and appear as if it was never there. It can be, just gone.
Pen has a deeper pigment and is much more visible to the eye. Pen is still on the page no matter how long since the words were written. Pen may get smudged but pen cannot be erased. It is permanently there on the page. It is enduring.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his
For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
The Oxford Languages dictionary defines HOPE as a noun and a verb.
1. a. A Feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.
b. A feeling of trust.
2. Wanting something to happen or be the case.
Emily Dickinson the American poet described HOPE as a thing with Feathers
Hope Is The Thing With Feathers
“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –
And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –
And sore must be the storm –
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –
I’ve heard it in the chillest land –
And on the strangest Sea –
Yet – never – in Extremity,
It asked a crumb – of me.
When we are looking for something to hang our hope onto… something that is enduring, something that does not fade away… our constant is God. Our everlasting is God.
Our Hope is God.
Much Love ♥️
Michelle