00:00Living Hope
00:05When we hear the word hope, it may call to mind wishful thinking, like crossing our fingers
00:12for good weather or a better outcome. But that kind of hope relies on circumstances
00:17that may or may not happen. When things don't go as we hoped, it can be crushing. Our hope
00:24disappears like vapor. Biblical hope is different. The Bible often pairs hope with waiting.
00:31The Hebrew words for hope, kava and yakal, are often translated as wait, describing a patient,
00:38forward-leaning trust. We attend to God's promises, remember His track record, and let that memory
00:45strengthen our expectations. The psalmist waited for God more than watchman for the morning.
00:51The apostles spoke of a living hope, anchored in the resurrection of Jesus and the renewal of all
00:58things. This kind of hope faces the dark and keeps watch. It acknowledges grief without surrendering
01:05to it. Mourning is coming, the cross and empty tomb guarantee it. Clinging to this hope empowers
01:12costly faithfulness, truth-telling, peacemaking, mercy, generosity, because God's future is already
01:19breaking in through the risen King. Practice waiting this week. When anxiety rises, pause and remember
01:26a moment of God's faithful care. When you're tempted to grasp for control, choose a small act of trust.
01:34Hope grows through these daily habits and becomes a signpost for others who are searching for light.
