Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23
To “hold on to hope” seems much easier said than done, these days. Many of us have quietly (or, not-so-quietly) hoped for various outcomes during the last few months. Children returning to in-person learning. Steady income. Remaining in good health. Being in the physical company of friends and loved ones. 2020 has not been kind to us, as it delivered a global pandemic. So much around us has changed: the way we meet our social needs, access to cleaning products, as well as capacity limits in restaurants and retail establishments.
While it’s easy to feel hopeless during times of despair, it is also important to note that the word “hope” as we use it in our day-to-day conversations differs from the Bible’s use of the same. The Bible uses the word hope to speak of the absolutely certain future that God has for His people. When the Bible urges us to have hope, it’s not saying that we should keep our spirits up because things may turn out well. It’s asking us to live in the light of the fact that things certainly will turn out well.
Throughout life’s ups and downs, one thing that has remained the same, though, is that we serve a God who keeps His promises! No shortage of toilet paper will ever get in the way of God returning to this Earth, as promised. While this season of Advent might look a bit different than years past, the message remains the same—these hardships are temporary!
Anna Barba