The Best Basis for Hope

Christian hope is not built on “hoping” something good will happen in the future. The power of our hope is its foundation on what God has done in the past and is doing right now.

In my meditation this morning, I was struggling for hope and felt God pointing me to Ephesians 1:15-23. This is Paul’s prayer for the church at Ephesus. For Paul, a church’s strength is determined by its manifestation of faith, hope and love. Ephesians doesn’t quite measure up, for in verse 15, he can commend them for only faith and love.

So we would expect that Paul’s prayer for them would ask God give to give them hope — which he does in verse 18. But notice that when Paul asks God to give them hope, he does not ask God to inspire them with pictures of will happen in the future. Instead, he asks God to let them see what they are right now (God’s inheritance), what God has done for them (the resurrection and gift of the Spirit) and what God is doing for them (making Christ head over all things for the benefit of the church.)

When I realized this in terms of “hoping” for a job, I started to list what God is doing in me right now that gives me confidence of his financial provision. I about blew about my pen, I was writing so fast! Before I caught my breath, I was up to twelve significant ways in which God is making His person — and making an employable person.

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