is for Hope.                                                                              

Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. -2 Corinthians 1:9-10

Activity: Act it out. What might someone who has no hope look like? What might someone who has found great hope look like?

There are many times in the Bible when God’s people had no reason to hope. Especially after their kingdom was conquered and they were sent away to live in a foreign land. Their homes were gone, their families split up, their kings and armies were no more.

There was no reason for Israel to have hope.

Hope is having a reason to look forward to tomorrow. We put our hope in money that we might be able to buy the things we need and want. We put our hope in our favorite football team to win and have a fun and exciting year as they make their way towards the championship. We put our hope in our toys and jobs, that if we can have enough or earn enough, we can feel like we have accomplished it all. We put our hope in doctors, that when we get sick, they can restore our health.

But what happens when we don’t have money? When our football team is no good? What if our toys break and we lose our jobs? What if the doctor doesn’t know how to cure us? Where is our hope then?

When things look bad. When life feels like it couldn’t possibly get any worse. When there is not much about tomorrow to look forward to, we can look to God’s Word to read about the One who has been there time and time again for His people. “On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.”  God saved His people over and over; from Pharoh, from hunger and thirst, even from a giant. And by sending Jesus to earth, He would save them once and for all.

Through baptism, we too are God’s people. And our hope is in the LORD, because God sent Jesus to save us. To give us hope to look forward to a million tomorrows, as we spend eternity with the God who loves us.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for giving Your Son, who is our only hope. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.