Hope
Hope is a word tossed around often. We hope it doesn’t rain on a day filled with outdoor activities. We hope the traffic isn’t bad when we’re running late for work. The hope Christ gives us is a deeper, richer kind of hope, though. In Romans 15:13 Paul writes, “May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Let that sink in for a minute. The New Living Translation of this verse says God is our source of hope. God’s hope flows through us, giving us joy and peace, and the ability to overflow with it. What a beautiful picture of true hope. Earlier in Romans, Paul says this kind of hope won’t disappoint. This is because Christ is our living hope, according to 1 Peter. This hope is a promise. Even if we don’t see the fulfillment now, we are reassured that this hope is worth putting our trust in.
May this hope overflow from us to a world that seriously needs it. May our joy and peace point others to Jesus. May His love be seen in and through us. Christ said in Matthew 5, “You are the light of the world.” He is our light. We should allow Him to brighten up the dark around us.