Hope and Truth

Truth and Hope

Have you ever looked at the world, your workplace, your friendships, your family, your finances, your health and found yourself desperately looking for or clinging to hope?  I have.

HOPE

Noun:  a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

• My hope is that the Yankees win the World Series.

Verb:    want something to happen or be the case. 

• I am hoping that the Yankees win the World Series.

My hope is real, it is a fact that I am rooting for the Yankees.

It is also a fact that many others are hoping for the Dodgers to win.

Is it true that the Yankees will win?  Is it true that the Dodgers will win?  Well, we will find out.

Hopes are forward looking and not determinative. When the Series is over, we will know whose hopes were borne out in reality and whose were found to not be.

No amount of ‘really really wanting ‘ or ‘ really hoping’ will impact the result.  Crossing our fingers is not leverage.

Hope is kind of an anxious word – a desire for a certain thing to occur.  It can be filled with waiting, fears, excitement, pain, emotions etc. In time, the validity of our hopes will be proven out by reality, by the truth of what occurs.

Truth on the other hand is firm, determined, solid, certain and everlasting.

Now, imagine that somehow I knew, for certain, before a game was played that the Yankees were going to win.  Either I time-traveled to December or I understood that there were cheating methods in place to guarantee a Yankee win.

In this scenario, my ‘hoping’ the Yankees would win would really be better stated as “I know the Yankees will win”.  It would be a sure hope.   Truth determines the validity of the hope. You with me?

 ‘I sure hope’  (crossing your fingers hope) vs sure hope  

• We have a wonderful invitation, a great opportunity, a firm, hope-filled path to live upon.

Psalm 119:105″Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”  

• Like knowing the outcome of the World Series before it begins, we know things that will always be true. Always! God’s Word is a sure hope

John 17:17  “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth“.

• Faith is synonymous with knowing.

Hebrews 11:1 : Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the certainty of things not seen”

 

Take a moment and consider your life – or the lives of others.  What are you hoping for?

• Looking for direction? Which way to go? Which job to choose? “I hope I make the right choice.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your steps”

• “Darn! Why did this happen?! The opposite of what I wanted” “I’m starting to feel like there is no hope”

Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him

• “That’s another fine mess I’ve gotten myself into. I hope I can get out of this mess”

Psalm 18:30: “God’s way is perfect. All the LORD’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection”

Corinthians 1:9: “God is faithful”  (reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever true to His promise, and He can be depended on)”

• “I really screwed up, I hope I’m not forever lost!”

2 Timothy 2:13, which states, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself”  (Independent of and inclusive of us and our actions – He is faithful)

• “Oh my, how am I going to afford to live?!”

Matthew 6:25-26 “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

So how can we live in sure hope, when things seem so uncertain?

The truth is that we can know the outcome of the ‘game’ even though the scoreboard may threaten a different ending.  By exercising His promises. These are certain.

Like hope, promises are forward looking. The truth of His promises ensures and secures the future.

2 Corinthians 1:20: “For no matter how many promises God has made,  they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.

 

Hope is an open door, a waiting, a question. 

Truth answers the door.

 

I hope you will take my words as encouragement.  This is the truth!

Would love to discuss and encourage you – leave a comment.

I will accept your prayers and support.