Abound in Hope

The apostle Paul wrote to the Christian believers in Rome and said he was praying that they would abound in hope and bring this hope to others ‘Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit’ (Romans 15:13).

When we know Jesus in our life we discover the mystery of the Gospel, which is ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory’. We begin to see His glory and all that He is and receive the joy and hope in believing. One of the saddest things in the world is to have no hope. I hear people described as ‘no hopers’, but I believe that there’s hope for everyone, whatever place they’re in. It’s those very ‘ones’ that Jesus wants to redeem and restore, although many would pass them by.

Sometimes a kind word, a few moments of time to listen, a caring touch, a small gift or a prayer for them as we go by may be part of a chain of events that lead that person to Jesus. When they know that someone really cares, it gives them a reason to hope.

When Jesus touches someone with His love you can see the light of hope that comes into their eyes, as their spirit responds to His love. There’s great comfort in God’s hope, whatever troubles we face. In Hosea we read that the Lord turns the Valley of Trouble into ‘a Door of Hope’, (Hosea 2:15).

We can only ‘abound in hope’ by the power of the Holy Spirit. His power within us causes us to know things for certain, and we have a hope that is eternal, for, as Christians, we don’t only have a hope in this earthly life.

‘This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil’ (Hebrews 6:18).

When darkness seems to veil his face,
I stand on his unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand.

Edward Mote

Prayer: Lord we pray that we may spread your light and love to give a glimmer of hope to those You long to touch. May we not pass them by. In Jesus’ name, Amen.