by: Tholton
What is HOPE to you? Is it possible to have hope, if we do not have faith, in God?
Quoted from my Bible in Habakkuk (under the megathemes), this is what it says hope means: “Hope means going beyond our unpleasant daily experiences to the joy of knowing God. We live by trusting in him, not by the benefits, happiness, or success we may experience in this life. Our hope comes from God.”
thedailylily.com 
What does Hope mean to me? Many things among these, a tree being planted in honor of another while whispering a prayer of Hope for the honoree to grow in the Lord. To be wise and know the depth, breath, width and length of God’s unfailing love. The Apostle Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:18 NLT; “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” and verse 17 says as a prayer; “Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”
Hope says to me, give someone a helping hand, a kind word, a card, a letter, a meal, cut their yard, feed the birds, a ride and/or a big smile. God shines through my efforts when attitude from my heart reflects Hope! There is Hope in a Ray of Sunshine.”
Hope means attitude in action to me!
Second ?: “Is it possible to have hope, if we do not have faith, in God?” I think so. Why? if we follow the principles of planting and harvest….Matthew 5:45 “…He sends rain on those who are right with God and on those who are not right with God.” He gives the sun to all…God is always sending Hope to the Hopeless so they can have Hope.
Another scripture popped a thought in my mind; “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12
What is hope to me? It is the looking forward and outward to and toward a God Who has promised eternal life to those who will come to believe in Him and believe Him. To me, Hope is believing God.
Looking at the photo above, thinking on this from tholton, “Hope means going beyond our unpleasant daily experiences to the joy of knowing God”, and reading Sara’s insightful comments about Hope paints a vivid picture of giving out to others rather than gathering in for selves. Maybe one thing each letter of hope could stand for is helping others by planting expectation.
Hope to me is that Jesus is there with me with every step of my journey. It doesn’t matter if the journey leads in a boat on the river of life with turbulent waters that would seem to overwhelm me or smooth waters that seem to be a breeze of refreshment. I know Jesus is there – He can speak to the turbulent waters and they will be made still and he can lead me to do what He has called me to do which seems like dancing on a glassy, mirror reflecting his glory and grace within me to others.
Trusting Him I continue on the journey knowing not when turbulent waters or smooth waters will come. I just TRUST the one who is WORTHY and always DEPENDABLE – my HOPE!!!!
Rena, your comment makes me think on an old hymn of the church;
“On Christ The Solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.”
We pray with you and hold your hand in prayer and love as you walk your healing journey.
I read in article in 8/12 “Singing News” Magazine by Connie Hopper. As I thumbed through this magazine my eye caught the word; “Hope.” Tammy has herewith questioned us on Hope? Connie quotes Neal Strait; “Take from a man his wealth, and you hinder him; take from him his purpose and you slow him down. But take from man his Hope, and you stop him. He can go on without wealth, and even without purpose for a while. But, he will not go on without hope,”
She also quotes from the writer of Hebrews (6:18-19) “hope set before us; which hope we have an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast.” Then Connie ends her article with Titus 2:13 “Our Blessed Hope” which is offered by Jesus.
We can be disappointed by many things and many people but take comfort in knowing that ‘hope does not disappoint’ (Romans 5:5).
Debi, but look how we get the hope that dosen’t disappoint. “We are glad for our troubles also. We know that troubles help us learn not to give up. 4 When we have learned not to give up, it shows we have stood the test. When we have stood the test, it gives us hope. 5 Hope never makes us ashamed because the love of God has come into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who was given to us.” Romans 5:3
Considering “hope” in reading testimonies of people who have had near death experiences with Heaven and Hell…it seems that we have HOPE in GOD only, in Jesus Christ, only while we are still in this flesh. Christ holds out to us the promise of HOPE while we still have breath and life on this earth. We turn to Him at a moment…turn to Him and away from sin….as long as we are here on planet Earth. However, once the silver cord is loosed; the golden bowl is shattered; the pitcher is broken at the cistern….then HOPE ceases for the human being. In Heaven Hope is attained and manifested; and in Hell…there is no hope.
In Dante’s Inferno, engraved upon the GATES OF HELL is this quote, “Abandon all HOPE ye who enter here.”
Hope to me is a gift of possibility!
And Proverbs 13:12 says: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.”