Weekly Thought – July 8, 2025
Fred grew up during the depression, the son of a Baptist pastor. The small southern churches offered very little hope beyond the faith that formed the foundation of the Smith family. This hope, grounded in the gospel provided lifelong values which formed his character.
Prepared By Hope
The three important words at the close of 1 Corinthians 13 are “faith, hope, and love.” Is Paul making a climactic statement that hope is more than faith and love is more than hope? I don’t know. But I do know hope is one of the great controlling emotions in our life. Faith is largely present, hope is largely future, and love is ultimate and everlasting. Hope is our belief in the future based on Christ, who holds it. Hope is not about the seen, but about the unseen.
As the philosopher said, “A man or woman can stand almost anything as long as there is hope.” When hope goes, desperation and despair soon follow. The Scripture says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” (Proverbs 13:12 NIV).
I have a Polish physical therapist whose job is to stretch my muscles back into usefulness after months and months in bed. I find when he counts out loud, I have hope of his quitting. When he doesn’t, I miss knowing when the end is coming. Hope energizes patience. It gives reason for tenacity. It promotes discipline in accomplishment.
The source of hope is not random hoping, but in hoping specifically in someone or something. We hope in Christ; we hope in our spiritual experience, or belief that life has a purpose even when we don’t see it. Hope requires a definable object. That hope can be eternity – “the blessed hope” or the assurance that hope gives us here on Earth pointing to everlasting life.
My wife’s favorite hymn was “Take the Name of Jesus With You.” The chorus has a phrase which aptly describes that precious name… “Hope of earth and joy of heaven.” I grew up leading singing in Dad’s churches and revivals. One of the favorites had another great line: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’s blood and righteousness.”
Our hope has substance because we are grounded in a changeless God who is the same as He was in the past, is not in the present, and will be forevermore.
This week think about: 1) In what is my hope grounded? 2) How do I daily remind myself of my hope in a changeless God? 3) What allows me to encourage others to hope?
Words of Wisdom: “Hope energizes patience.”
Wisdom from the Word: “I desperately long for your deliverance. I find hope in your word.” (Psalms 119:81 NET Bible)