What is hope? Is it desire? A dream? A wish? An expectation? Hope is my soul looking forward to and expecting something better, something truly satisfying in a time to come.
When the next moment is death and when looking into the soul’s transgressions and the vanity of life already passed, what can one hope for tomorrow and after? Review a life past spent doing things that do not lead to a satisfied soul what is there to desire and expect? “Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.” (1 Chronicles 29:15b)
Can my hope be in me and my actions? My actions past were all vanity. Meaningless, meaningless, meaningless as Solomon wrote. And as David wrote here a mere phantom life. Honest self-reflection knows that a fool hopes in oneself. Like once prosperous Job lamented when all was loss and a fatal illness slowly consumed his flesh, “What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient? Do I have the strength of stone? Is my flesh bronze? Do I have any power to help myself, now that success has been driven from me?” (Job 6:11-13)
Hope worth living for is not in self-accomplishment nor is vague and insecure dreams. Even if achieved such hope becomes a letdown once accomplished. A trophy and metal on the wall dim in satisfaction as time progresses.
Hope worth living for is in the Lord Jesus. He is the better future. “In his name, the nations put their hope.” (Matthew 12:21) David said about him: “‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'” (Acts 2:25-28)
“And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2) “Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:23-25)
