Jump Start # 1467

Psalms 71:5 “For You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth.”

  Hope! What a great word and foundational aspect of our faith. I have been working on this concept of hope for a special project. The word hope is sprinkled throughout our Bibles. Hebrews tells us that hope is an anchor for our souls. Without hope, people give up. In sports, when there is no hope of winning, the energy and enthusiasm is gone from a team. A student who realizes that there is no hope of passing will just give up and often not even show up. When rescue teams have no hope of finding survivors, the families are crushed. Hope is what fuels us. Hope for change. Hope for better days.

There is a difference between hope and wishful thinking. Four leaf clovers, crossed fingers, good luck charms, fall in the category of superstition. I knew a guy in college who was convinced that his school’s basketball team was winning because of his lucky clothes he wore. He never washed them. Didn’t want to wash away any luck. I was glad when his team finally got beat so the guy would take off those stinky clothes. Was it the clothes or the team’s ability? Why did his team lose if he was still wearing the lucky clothes? Biblical hope isn’t superstition. It’s based first, upon God and His promises. God is true to what He says. Our hope is built around what the Bible says. That gives our hope some substance. Wishful thinking is just that, wishes. It’s what you’d like to see come true. It’s a dream. There is no reason to think that it will ever come true.

Biblical hope is real, it’s sure. It’s something that you can count on. Our verse today illustrates that. The hope of the Psalmist was in God. A living, real, promise keeping God. His hope wasn’t in things. His hope was not in himself, but rather in God. Because his hope was in God, he would follow God, believe in God and obey God. Those are natural responses and conclusions to one who had real hope.

Now, here’s the difference. Most hope to go to Heaven some day. They do not realize that their hope is really nothing more than wishful thinking. They don’t do anything about this hope. They don’t worship the God that will open the door to Heaven. They don’t live a life according to the Bible that would build that hope and give that hope some substance. They don’t develop a spiritual character that reflects a love for God. They want to go to Heaven, but they don’t want to do anything about it and they expect to just go on as normal and cross their fingers that God will take care of all the details. Wishful thinking! That’s all it is.

Hope, as found in the Bible, changes a person. People like Abraham had hope in the living God. They walked with God. They loved God. They did what God wanted and expected. Hope was real for them. This is why people like Paul could say “In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness…” His hope wasn’t in the fact that he deserved it, earned it nor did everything just right. His hope was in God. A God he loved, trusted, followed and wanted to be with. This hope was a sure thing.

I talk to parents and grandparents who are concerned about their kids. They “hope” that they’ll start going to worship again. They “hope” that there will be a change in their attitude. However, very little has been talked about or done. The questions and criticisms of these grown kids have not been addressed. The parents are afraid to mention the subject, so they don’t. They still want their kids to follow Christ, but they do not point the way. This hope is really wishful thinking. Their kids are not interested. They never plan to darken the doors of the church. They are content to live without God. The parents no longer try. The hope of these parents is not Biblical hope. It’s not based upon anything. And in some cases, the parents are expecting someone else to be the one to do something.

The same goes for the direction and leadership in some congregations. Some are a real mess today. Folks are jumping off a sinking ship. The leaders are hopeful that things will turn around. But nothing changes. More leave. A dark cloud sits over the congregation. Everyone wonders who will leave next. But, the leaders are hopeful. They are hopeful that things will get better. Is it hope or is it wishful thinking?

Hope involves action on our part. Hope involves faith on our part. Hope invites and includes God. Optimism isn’t the same thing as hope. Seeing the glass half full or half empty may be a great expression, but the reality is you only have half a glass. The hopeful person is optimistic. The hopeful person sees change, better days and better ways, because of God. Optimism alone can quickly become wishful thinking. Catchy expressions are cute and can be helpful but that alone is not the same as a hope that is built upon God.

My hope is built upon nothing less than Jesus’ blood is more than a hymn, it is the hope of salvation. For You are my hope, is what our verse is today. You are my hope!

Wishful thinking or Biblical hope? There is a difference. Which one do you have?

Roger