Friends and Family,

What is holding you up? What keeps you afloat? What is your hope based on?

There are several valid definitions of the word hope – I like this one the best: “a person or thing in which expectations are centered.” We all place our hope, on which our expectations are centered, on something or someone. And if things are going well with that something or someone then we have peace, satisfaction and optimism about the future.

If we place our hope on our finances and the market is good then everything else falls into place. If we place our hope on our marriage and that relationship is going well then life is sweet. If we place our hope on our career and are successful then all parts of life are grand.

But if the market is bad or there is a lack of intimacy in our marriage or we are suddenly unemployed then we experience a sense of anxiety, dissatisfaction, and ultimately despair. 

Yes we all need hope so we can have what we are ultimately searching for – peace. But it is so elusive isn’t?  We are at peace one day and then the next day it’s gone. Life is great one day and then it sours – we ride this roller coaster of hope and peace every day.

If we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior not even that guarantees peace on earth – it does guarantee hope for eternity but not necessarily peace on earth. So what is the secret to peace on earth? Paul tells us in Philippians 4:

“4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The only way to have true peace here on earth is first to place your hope in Jesus Christ so we do have the guarantee of eternity in Heaven and then give “every situation” to God. Trust Him with every situation and God promises to guard our hearts and our minds. This may not seem to make sense (Paul even says it “transcends all understanding”) but we can trust Him – we can place our hope in Him and have true peace.

What do you place your hope in?

 In His Service,

Ed