Dear Sissy: Hope

Dear Sissy,

You have officially started your (gulp!) Senior year in High School.  It is incredible.  Where did the time go?  Can you believe it?  I certainly can't.  Seems like just yesterday you were having trouble spelling "CAT"; oh, yeah, it was yesterday!! Ha.  Anyway, even if I am being a dad desperately wanting to ignore the fact that my little girl is growing up really fast, the reality is that you only have 9 months until you graduate high school.  I'm hoping over the coming weeks and months to write you a few letters that will be an encouragement to you as you navigate the many opportunities and choices you'll be facing.

As I've listened to you, Ben, and Sam prepare for school the past couple of weeks, I have noticed that a word that has been used a lot is "Hope." Statements like: "I hope I enjoy my photography class", "I hope I do well in my Literature class", "I hope I have fun at youth this year", "I hope it is clear what school I should attend next year" and so on have been uttered quite a few times.  And that's what makes the beginning of a school year exciting.  It is a new year, the slate is clean, these are times to look forward and dream dreams.

But what exactly is hope? Is it more than just a wish or a desire?  I think so.  But more importantly than asking what hope is, I think we should ask a few deeper questions.  What do we hope "in"? How do we grow in hope? And, how is true hope satisfying?

First, the Bible clearly teaches that our hope should be in Jesus.  Psalm 39:7 states, "And now Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You."  The Psalmists follow up with a similar statement in Ps. 71:5, "For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth." I think it is significant that the writer points out that his hope began while he was a youth.  Don't ever forget that decisions you make now can last a lifetime.

How do we grow in this hope?  How can this "trust from my youth" last? Again, Psalms points to an answer. In Psalms 119:147 it is written, "I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word." Not only is the psalmist talking about a morning Bible reading, he is talking about meditation on the words of God; he is talking about not only reading the words but being moved by them. That is how you grow.

And finally, before this letter becomes a sermon,  does this hope in Jesus satisfy us? Can our relationship with Him meet our needs? I think the Word is clear on this as well. Romans 5:5 points out, "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit." That is pretty powerful stuff.  Even more amazing our these words from Hebrews 6:19, "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast..." This two verses seem  good indicators that placing our hope in Christ will be pretty satisfying. 

Anyway, I hope this is an encouragement to you as you begin your Senior year.  I "hope" that you enjoy your year and I "hope" that you have amazing success.  But more than that, I hope that you place more hope in Jesus and learn that He can be the anchor for your soul.

Love,

Your Daddy

Comments

[Jon B]

Great post! That is real hope too. I pray the same thing for our "sissy". I am so proud of her. Can't wait to see what God will do next.