Hope is...

“In your hearts, set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…” ~1 Pet 3:15

So, what do you think hope is, little ones?
· “It is looking forward to something with a feeling of expectation or confidence”. ~Will, 10
· “Hope is practical. It means talking to God every day expecting an answer. It means having Jesus to talk to. It means being satisfied with what God has given you”. ~Justin, 10
· “It is like the feeling of Christmas. It makes you feel kind of good inside, sort of like you’re going to get a gift”. ~David, 9

There is so much I want to learn from these children. Their answers are simple, yet profound. Indeed, every day can be like Christmas morning for us, but only if our hopes are driven and controlled by God. Why? Because it is possible for the Evil one to control our hopes- making us excited and eager for new things- except he directs our hopes towards worthless and sinful things.

Hope is also more than keeping a positive mental attitude in the midst of negative situations, for genuine hope is based on the Bible. Real hope, true assurance, comes from knowing God’s promises for us both to this life and that which is to come. Additionally, hope comes through faith, believing that He is faithful to keep all His promises. On the other hand, a mere positive mental attitude, which is usually characterized by repeated positive confessions, may only lead us to believe in our self, rather than in God’s ability to work all things out for the good of those who love him.

“Hope is God's gift to us," says Amal, 10. Yes, God’s gift of hope to us came in the form of a person, Jesus Christ. He is the sum and substance of it. I don’t know how this works, but you just have to believe it- that in as much as Jesus is the ground & foundation of the eternal hope that we can have, He is also the end result of that glorious hope.