Steadfast Hope

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

The first day of spring is a turning point for me, a firm reminder that regardless of the snowy yard, bare tree branches, and chilly nighttime temps outside my front door, change is coming.

Spring—for me—is hope made tangible. It is the fulfilled promise of a fresh start and new beginnings as it ends winter’s dormant days. Growing up on a farm, I knew that this season brought the birthing of lambs and hatching of ducklings, and that we would soon be tilling fields with our 1950s Massey Ferguson tractor and hunting for pussy willows along the edges of a secret meadow, accessible only by a footpath through marsh and forest.

While the first day of spring has me taking a deep breath and pausing to thank God for the official arrival of my favorite time of year, I know better than to think there won’t be a snowstorm or two before summer comes. This date simply acknowledges our seasonal progress: snow melts faster, the sun’s rays are warmer, and I hear the chorus of newly returned songbirds on days it’s warm enough to open my windows.

As much as I love spring and the hope it brings after wintry weather has outstayed its welcome, it is nothing compared to the hope I find in Christ. His death on the cross provided a way for our eternal redemption, and his life on the earth gave us a blueprint for spending our time here wisely. For those of us who love and follow Jesus, there is no uncertainty about the meaning of life, how we are called to live, what is important and what is not, or what happens when we die. We know that no matter what is happening in the world, God wins.

And he gifted us with a book containing all the answers we need for living in a way that spreads the same hope to everyone around us. Just as the first day of spring reminds us of what is coming seasonally, the Bible is the inspired Word of God, reminding us that Jesus is our ultimate hope in a broken world and that he who gave promises to us will be faithful to fulfill them.

Julie

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Sing God a hymn or worship song about hope. “It Is Well” and “Raise a Hallelujah” by Bethel Music are two of my favorites.