Bright Hope for Tomorrow
by Colonel Ivan K. Rock
Several days ago, I was privileged to hear the testimony of a man whom I respect. He is a strong believer in Jesus Christ and a proud Salvation Army Advisory Board member. Something he said stuck with me. In fact, it has been rattling around in my brain ever since.
He reminded me that as Christians, particularly as members of an organization like The Salvation Army, hope is an absolute necessity.
We must believe and have hope:
- that people can be transformed.
- that families’ lives can be made better.
- that children can have a brighter future.
- and most of all, that through Jesus Christ, men, women, and children can be saved.
What a wonderful reminder of the importance of hope in the life of a believer.
It is so easy to lose hope these days. We are concerned about the divisiveness of our society and the implications of that divisiveness. And we should be.
We are concerned about the future of the Army. And we should be.
We are concerned about our finances. And we should be.
But we cannot and should not lose hope.
Hope is a powerful force in the life of a believer. It is the anchor that keeps us steady in the storms of life, the light that guides us when the path is dark, and the promise that there is something greater just down the road.
Hope is an essential thread that runs through the entirety of our theology and the Word of God on which our theology is based.
God’s Word is full of verses and stories that remind us of the importance and power of hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 says this:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
God has a plan for our lives, one that is filled with promise and with hope.
And that thread of hope weaves through the Old Testament into the New Testament. Romans 15:13 says:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Hope is not just a passive state of mind but an active and overflowing presence in our lives, fueled by the Holy Spirit.
In Romans 4:18, Paul describes Abraham’s hope:
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations.
Abraham faced the fact that his body was old. In fact, he was almost 100 years old. His wife, Sarah, was barren. Yet he did not waver regarding the promise of God. Instead, he was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, believing in the hope that God had the power to do what He promised He would do.
That thread of hope gets even more exciting.
In 1 Peter 1:3, we read:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
This living hope is the assurance that through Christ, we have eternal life and victory over sin and death.
Hope is not just a theological concept or an abstract idea. It is practical and a vital part of our daily lives. It gives us the strength to face adversity, the courage to persevere, and the assurance that we are never alone.
Hope is the antidote to despair and the catalyst for joy and peace.
It is true that life is filled with challenges and difficulties. But it is during these tough times that hope becomes our lifeline.
More than that, as Christians, our hope is not limited to this life but extends into eternity. Revelation 21:4 gives us a glimpse of the future that awaits us:
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
This promise of a future without pain, sorrow, or death fills us with hope and anticipation for the day when we will be in the presence of our Lord forever.
As it says in Titus 2:13:
We wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Hope is an amazingly precious gift from God that sustains and strengthens us. It is rooted in His promises, exemplified throughout the Bible, and fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.
It is the thread that weaves through all of God’s Word and, if we allow it, through our lives.
So,
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
—Hebrews 10:23
