Saturday, October 23
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
—Hebrews 11:1
Hope is a belief in things unseen. It is sometimes the only thing that keeps us going. Where does it come from?
He is there. Bidden or unbidden, God is present. God is a reason for hope. God, the mysterious, unfathomable resource for which our hearts yearn. The very idea of God, as we wrestle with this sometimes-difficult world, is a source of hope.
Hope is a form of faith. Just wanting to believe that God is there for us is faith. Hope is God’s help with life. We rely on many things man-made and of this earth. They usually hold up.
But there are times in life when those things that helped us before are no longer present. It may be due to the death of a loved one, or of our closest confidante. It could be because a relationship has hit a brick wall. Or perhaps we have run out of whatever we counted on to pull us through.
When we are in a place where we seem to have depleted our own resources, we sometimes find ourselves hopeful anyway. That in itself is a resource, and one that comes from beyond those things we can feel, see or touch. God is always present in our lives, even when we do not seek him, even when we do not feel the need for God or anything else “heavenly.”
Most parents love their children without reservation. But God’s love for us is so much greater. It is absolutely unconditional and is available to us 24/7, 365, as long as we live. God will not die, nor abandon us, nor condemn us. He is the true and deepest source of human hope. We can count on the One who created us, always.
O God, keep steady in our hearts the flame of hope that gives us the strength we need for the fullness of life. Amen.
These Signposts originally appeared on explorefaith in 2006.
