During times of crisis, chaos, and confusion, God supplies His people with hope.
Yes, we need hope when our affairs look and are at their worst. Hope shines in the dark, when our hearts are broken, when our resources are gone, when things look bleak, and when all promises for rescue ring unconvincing and hollow. Spoken, hope shines brightest when shadows are at their longest, in their most cruel and depressing moments. Seen in this way, hope is both an act of God’s people and the state of those people after having trusted in Him and received His blessings and forgiveness. “O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities” Psalm 130:7-8 (ESV).
In these moments of national and international challenge and crisis, we who follow Christ must be champions and ambassadors of hope. Our faith in God and His Son, Jesus Christ, gives us a unique perspective that, despite all we face today, our future can be bright. We can have hope, and therefore, never need to quit. For those who cling to His covenant promise, it is always too soon to quit! Hope declares that no matter what we’ve seen or done, what we’ve experienced or felt, how things look or appear, God can transform the moment. Why? Because only God can guarantee the future, for He alone is faithful, and He alone is true. We can move forward because God is here, with us, and is working for us. God has a purpose and a plan, and because of this, we can be hopeful. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” Jeremiah 29:11-13 (ESV).
Truly, we face an array of horrible crises—a global pandemic, economic challenges to millions of households, and racial and political tensions at fever pitch. Only a firm hope in the God of history and redemption can steady us during such turbulent and dangerous times. Yet, the same God who turned the death of His Son into salvation for the world can also transform this moment into a future that honors His Name, blesses His people, and advances His Kingdom. Trusting in that God and His purpose is the very essence of biblical hope.
