A Picture of Hope

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…

I Peter 1:3

If I asked you to draw a picture of hope, what would you draw? Think about that question for a moment. What does hope look like to you?

I know exactly what I would draw. I would draw a picture of a small group of women, simply dressed and sitting in a circle. The tiny room in the home where they are gathered is clean, but the furnishings are few, outdated, and worn. Each woman has a Bible on her lap and joy on her face.

This scene was forever imprinted on my mind during a visit to Cuba. I went there to minister, but in reality, the believers in Cuba ministered to me. According to American standards, most of the people in Cuba live in poverty. Their present world offers little hope. However, these believers are not focused upon the world but upon God. Their hope rests upon Jesus, upon His promise of eternal life and heaven, and upon every other promise within the Word of God.

Upon what does your hope rest? Does it rest upon your own accomplishments or ability? Is your hope centered upon human relationships or the things of this world? Relationships, human ability, and worldly desires are ever changing. Placing your hope in any of those things is like standing upon the sand in an hourglass. That upon which your hope is based will vanish.

However, God’s character and Word are unchanging. Jesus through His life, death and resurrection has already accomplished man’s salvation. Hope based upon the finished work of Jesus and God’s unchanging Word is solid and secure. Hope based upon every promise of God is secure, because God, who is unchanging, cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19)

God, enlighten the eyes of our hearts that we may know the hope to which You have called us. (Ephesians 1:18)

Jan Burkhart