Invisible Hope

Some thoughts from my friend, "V": 

As I thought about revival this week, I have been feeling a need for a revival of hope. It is interesting to me that Romans 8:24 sounds like a rhetorical question (who hopes for what he already sees?). Like it should be obvious that we only hope for what we do not see. All too often, visible results are so highly valued among us that we forget that real hope should not be placed in the here and now. All too often, the visible things are fake. 

People often come to me looking for hope in this world. They want something structured to attach themselves to, something that will promise security. I have had to learn to tell the truth: there is no hope in this world. But this world is not all that there is, and that gives us a reason to hope. Real hope is outside of this world, and that hope cannot be shaken.

And from "The Seaboard Parish" by George MacDonald:

"I am thankful for the hope," I answered [the doctor]. "You need not be afraid of my turning upon you, should the hope never pass into sight. I should do so only if I found that you had been treating me irrationally—inspiring me with hope which you knew to be false. The element of uncertainty is essential to hope, and for all true hope... man has to be unspeakably thankful."

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.

Romans 15:13