A Hopeful New Year

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11, New International Version)

Last week, as I was thinking about what I wanted my word of the year to be, the word “hope” came to me. It’s been such a crummy couple of years for us. All I can do is hold onto the hope that God has a plan and that things will turn around.

I listened to a sermon about Christmas a few days ago where the pastor reminded us that the Jews were praying for the Messiah for two thousand years. They had their moments of faithlessness and gave up hope a lot of times, but God still answered their prayer after all those years, by coming to earth in the form of a tiny baby, Jesus.

I hope (there’s that word again!) I don’t have to wait that long.

I was thinking though that hope sounds a little like we don’t have faith. If I had total faith, I’d be saying “I know I don’t have to wait that long”. But then the verse above says that God will give us hope, and with that a future of prosperity.

So, I don’t know. I guess it’s good to have hope and to hold onto it in the very worst of circumstances, knowing that God does hear our prayers and our cries for help. If we didn’t have hope why pray to God at all.

And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:5, New Living Translation)