Not the kind of hope you see when you do a Google search (unfortunately). Not the red white and blue kind with a man's face spacing at the distance - however graphically appealing it may or may not be.
No. I need hope that doesn't even come from me. Hope that comes from one living in me, that is not me. Sound a little crazy? Keep reading.
I did a BibleGateway.com search on the Keyword 'Hope' - trying to find a verse that gives a good definition of what hope is. There are so many great verses about Hope, but I will now only share a few that stand out to me:
1 Corinthians 13:13 says, "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
Now, I have been considering what my "One Word" resolution would be for this year. One word to describe who I want to be, what I want in my life that I feel is missing, something I feel God wants to work on in me.
Hope is the main word I have been considering, along with Joy, Peace, and some action word that I cannot remember :) All these things are, sadly, lacking!
Reading 1 Corinthians 13:13 reminded me of something. God HAS been working on my faith. When I was new in the faith I had SO many doubts, SO many fears, SO many questions and skepticisms and critical thinking (ie negative thinking) that, at times, plagued me. I won't go into them now, but know the root word would be Fear. I was full of fear. Of distrust and the like.
While I in no way think that my faith has "arrived" I do believe that God has worked out my faith in me and, while I still doubt at times, it is on His Word that I will rely.
So, we have faith, then hope.
It seems fitting that Hope would be the "next in line" and God would work on this in me.
I do not even know what all 'hope' means. And I LOVE to know what things mean. So, I am excited to.... tentatively.... maybe.... Ok, Ok. Accept HOPE for my One Word for 2013.
Right now, I cannot comprehend all that this word means.
I don't think I could even tell you what it means, much less it's complexity! But thankfully God has spoken to this for me...
Ephesians 1:18 says, "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you."
.... that I may know.... that I may know!
And the verses before and after 1:18 paint an even more beautiful picture (pointing even moreso to what I truly need):
Ephesians 1:17-19 says, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe."
Those verses are rich with meaning, and with things I feel I am lacking.... Knowing HIM (Christ) more, my heart being fully alive with God's spirit - full of wisdom and revelation, full of peace and joy - and truly knowing and having the HOPE to which I have been called.
Hope.
Hope that comes from and is found solely in CHRIST.
Hope. For all areas of my life...
Here's hoping in 2013!
