“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Rom 5:5 (NKJ)
A while ago, a group of scientists conducted an experiment in which they placed a mouse in a sealed container half filled with water. They ensured that air but not light was able to get into the container. When they checked a few minutes later, the mouse had drowned. They then conducted the same experiment another time, but with one major change. They allowed in a beam of light as well as air into the sealed container. To their astonishment they discovered that the second mouse was still alive seventy two hours later. So they concluded that the reason why the first mouse died so quickly and the second survived for that long was due to the loss of hope in the first and maintenance of same in the second. The light represented a ray of hope for the second mouse and that kept it alive.
The New Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word hope as ‘desire accompanied by expectation of fulfilment’. Nevertheless, the reality of that word in everyday usage clearly suggests that hope is no longer regarded as an ‘expectant desire’ – a picture of certainty or assuredness, but more as a ‘wishful desire’- characterised by uncertainty and probability. So, while the former suggests a certain expectation of fulfilment and in the process makes things happen, the latter is non committal and is content to adopt a wait and see attitude. This is because biblical hope is based on a different reality than that of wishful hope and this reality is what the bible in Rom 10:17 defines as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen – our faith.
This faith has nothing to do with a set of beliefs or religious creed and dogma, which is what most people often understand it to be, and everything to do with the word of God. In fact, it is the product of God’s word birthed in our spirits ultimately giving rise to that important and certain expectation that God will fulfil His promise to us. Biblical hope therefore owes its existence to faith, which is the product of God’s word. Hence it never crumbles under pressure. Wishful hope, on the other hand, is desire that is not firmly rooted on the word of God and so flounders under pressure.
So, where does your hope stand? Is it on the sure foundation of the word of God or on some shifty grounds of fallible human assurance? Hope is what you need when faith alone cannot get the job done because hope exists for the future while faith is for now. When God seemingly delays in fulfilling His promise, hope is what you require to keep your faith alive and without it, your faith will not make it. The bible says: “For surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off. Prov 23:18 (NKJ)
Therefore, I encourage you to make God’s word the basis of your expectation and your hope will cease from being wishful to certain. It will never fail you. Take a few moments to meditate on Ps 121 and let the faith it inspires give rise to hope in you.
Prayer:
My God and Saviour, please provide that ray of light (the light of your living word) that I need to guide me through this day, so that my hope remains in you, rather than my capabilities or the things that surround me.