Christian | Sherry's A Labour of Love

Colossians 1:3-5

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Good morning friends, hope that your week has been a blessing to you. As I had said previously, we were looking at faith, love and hope in this passage separately. I think that it’s important to understand each one and how each relates to God and to us on this earth. To clearly see how each one biblically impacts us. These words are not just offering comfort to those who lived centuries ago, these words are meant for all believers. Giving strength, guidance, encouragement and further growing our desire for a future with God, our creator, living in an eternal kingdom. Today we are going to complete this passage and those three with hope.

What does the word hope mean to you? Have you actually sat down and thought about it? Is it a concept? Is it a feeling? Is it something that is easily grasped? What is hope and what does it mean, both to those around us and to believers?

The Oxford dictionary describes hope as follows: noun – a feeling of expectation and a desire for a certain thing to happen. verb-wanting something to happen or be the case. Hope in Greek from the New Testament comes from the Greek word elpis, with its root word being elpo. Elpo means to anticipate or welcome and elpis is an expectation of or a guarantee. In Hebrew, the word for hope is Tikvah, meaning expectation, cord or rope. Knowing where the word came from and the meaning behind it, we can move on to what it means to us as believers.

You’ve likely heard people use the word hope in many different contexts. People hope for things, knowing there is a great chance that what they hope for is unattainable. They long for something or are wanting in something. They have hope in the weather, hope in their children, hope in their financial stability and hope in their future. Yet, for most people, hope is a word that they consider to be something that likely will not come to fruition, yet they still long and feel want or need. People save money in hopes that they can upgrade to their dream home one day, they send their children to the most prestigious schools in hopes that they will be successful, they dream of a future full of retirement opportunities which will show how successful they once were in their careers. So much hope with a great sense of pessimism. Think on that for a moment. Can you relate? Have you considered the pessimism behind the word hope in these scenarios? Where is the security and guarantee? Personally, all of the above only bring on restlessness and hopelessness.

All things above considered, it’s no wonder we live in a world of self commitment and church memberships have gone down by half in the last few years. Human nature is more likely to have hope in the unattainable, than the attainable. Human nature is subject to the sin of this world much more easily than it is to be subject to the most guaranteed path of surety. Rather sad isn’t it? So what do we do with what we know?

Understanding what hope truly is and going back to the roots of that word can change the perspective of anyone who is unsatisfied with this life, if they are guided by Godly persuasion and influence. Hence why church fellowship and biblical studies are so important. Worship should not be a once a week subjection in a church building with other believers. While that is certainly a very important part of Chritistian living, Worship should be a daily routine along with prayer. Why? Well, let’s look at it this way. Biblical hope, going back to our definitions above, is the guarantee of something greater. Biblical hope is the cord and rope that ties us to our creator who leads us to an eternal future. The faith that grows, is also the faith that trusts completely in the hope of that future. It’s a guarantee. For Christians, bible believing followers, hope is in the confirmation that God, our creator, sacrificed His only son, for the sins of those whom will share the blessing of eternity worshiping and glorifying Him whom loves us. Christian hope is wrapped in the knowledge and wisdom of the Bible, God’s Word, where God’s will shows security in the trusting of Him, the great “I am”. In the passages of scripture, lies in wait, truth, encouragement, security, and optimism. Hope is not, for Christians, a consideration of something that is unattainable. Hope is attainable and tied to the guarantee of a holy Father whom leads. Hope is encouragement in times of desperation. Hope is peace in times of trouble. Hope is the precursor leading to understanding and experiencing faith and love. Having hope, grows faith, which in turn gives understanding to love.

Understanding what hope means to the world and what it means to Christians can make a worldly difference in the life of someone who is searching for the truth. Or, you could say instead of “worldly” difference for someone, you could say it can make a “heavenly” difference. (wink)

Here are some verses to help you understand what hope is. I am praying this day for you and am hopeful in God’s will for your life. Until next week, may God bless your journey through His word.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God. Psalm 42:11

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. Romans 5:3-4

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call. Ephesians 4:4

Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
if you find it, there will be a future,
and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 24:14

Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints Ephesians 1:18

It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:6-7

Bliss? Well, let’s just say it’s been a journey and no it has not always been bliss. Why do I say that? Because I looked up the word bliss in the dictionary and it says “extreme happiness”. Marriage is not always “extremely happy” and I do not know one person that can say that theirs is. In fact, it’s a lot of work, it’s painful at times and the reality of marriage is not as romantic as the movies would like to portray.

Have you seen the statistics? It’s shocking and honestly a bit sad. There are several things lacking in our society today that contribute to the declining of marriage. One being that society thrives on ease. “Bliss” is expected in everything that is done and if it’s not experienced then one walks away and looks for it elsewhere. You know the saying, “The grass is greener on the other side”. Children are growing up in today’s world without having to work for anything. There are trophies for each player even if they are bench warmers, there are gimmicks and commercials glamorizing immoral behavior and acceptance for mediocracy is tolerated. If something is too hard, then rules are changed to make it easier. There is no longer parental respect and the word “no” to a child is nearing child abuse status.

The second issue is that God is no longer a daily figure in the lives of most families or households. Divorce no longer follows biblical application and adultery is as common and accepted as feeding the pet. Getting married is no longer a bond between a man a woman based on God’s design, it’s a romantic idea of a future that just doesn’t exist. Seriously, does anyone stand at the alter and realize that in a few years they will have screaming kids, burning pots on the stove and a stressed out husband that walks in the door to find his once beautiful wife standing at the door with a desperate look on her face that just screams “Help me now, I’m drowning”? The Proverbs 31:10-31 wife is looked at today as a pitiful figure who has no ambition beyond the front door, therefore she must be uneducated or have a controlling husband.

Why do I feel I have the ability to say anything? I feel that 20 years of watching friends and family go through divorces, raising children, and working hard for our marriage warrants at least an opinion. The last 20 years has not been bliss, yet it’s been a wonderful example of what can be accomplished when two people who love one another unconditionally put in the effort and work hard for a common goal. The power of prayer and having God in our marriage has also been an example to our children that will prayerfully carry through many generations yet to come.

As we celebrate 20 years today, it’s been fun to glance through the wedding album and see loved ones who have come and gone in our lives. Looking at how young we once were and how gray we are today. Seeing old friends who age just as well as you… ha ha ha

Gary asked me last weekend if I wanted to plan the next 20 and I told him no. I think we are doing just fine swinging by the seat of our pants. Besides, it’s more fun allowing God to plan out our future. How can we be disappointed when He’s done such a great job thus far.

A few notes and memories to share:

To the husband of my youth, the love of my life, and my forever best friend… I love you and I thank you for all the twists and turns that have made us what we are today. Thank you for the fun dinner… who else could try rattlesnake rabbit sausage on their 20th anniversary. (it really wasn’t very good honey, sorry!)

I thank God also for the strength, wisdom and mercy that has allowed us to come together, stay together and be an example to those who who need encouragement in their marriage. I also thank Him for wonderful God loving God fearing children who have blessed our marriage.

I thank my parents and in law’s for teaching Gary and I to work hard at all we do, never giving up on the hard things of life, and keeping their arms open when we’ve gone astray. Thank you for your support in our marriage the last 20 years.

I thank my and Gary’s grandparents for the wonderful examples of the marital promise, “till death do us part”.

I thank also the friends that stick with us through thick and thin, through moves, illnesses, and loss of family. (what is that on your head?) ha

20 years of bliss? I would rather say:
20 years of educating ourselves on agape love through the eyes of the Lord
20 years of ups and downs twists and turns
20 years of growing gray in wisdom with someone else whose faults are equal to yours
20 years of watching time tick by knowing that you are more fortunate than someone else who doesn’t have what you have
20 years of living with someone that can bring out the best and worst of you, yet who can also love you like no other
20 years of looking forward