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Hope to hang on to

What is hope?

The dictionaries say that Hope is a feeling and expectation that a particular thing is going to happen. Sometimes hope is assured and sometimes unlikely. 
Maybe, you hope your favourite team will win a match. That can be likely to happen or you could be rather optimistic! 
An older definition includes the idea of trust as well.

So what is the hope that we have as Christians?


Firstly, that if God has promised it, it will happen. We see God's promises in the bible in stories like Noah, Abraham and Joseph. Their lives included promises for the future, some of which we see come true in their lives and the lives of their families.

                                                    🚢                 ✰                🌈

But our biggest Hope is rooted in Jesus Christ and who He is. We see Him as the completion of the Old Testament law, prophesies and promises and that we can depend on Him for our futures too.

This is an assured Hope, something that has and will happen, not just unlikely and over optimistic.

Hebrew 11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.   (New Living Translation)

Faith and hope are intertwined and faith is confidence in our hope.

An Anchor

How can this hope be an anchor in our lives?

  • It is something that is always there. God doesn't leave us and we can depend on Him at all times.
  • If you believe Jesus is your Saviour then you know you are secure in your eternity.
  • It helps you define who you are and find purpose in your lives.
  • The church provides a community to explore this hope and learn about God.

Firm and Secure

We are repeatedly told in the bible about God and His steadfast love, that He is a rock and that we can trust Him with our lives.

In a world that is so unpredictable normally, and feels chaotic at present, it is reassuring to know that God is firm and secure. We can use our hope to connect our anchor to God and know we will be safe.


Activities

🪁 See if you can go and fly a kite. Feel the pull of the kite in the wind and imagine that you are the kite and God is holding the end of the string. You are safe and secure. He will never let you go.

🎨Paint a picture of the sea in a storm. You could add a ship with an anchor, or a lighthouse standing firm.

🖍 Colour in the picture at the top of the blog.

🙏 Pray to God and ask Him to remind you that He is there. Ask Him to help you to rely on Him. 


Father God,
May we all know you as firm and secure, a place of safety in the midst of confusion. Help us to hold on to this hope as you hold onto us.
Thank you for already fulfilling our hope, by sending your Son to save us. Thank you Jesus for dying to give us life and sending your Spirit to help us each day.
Amen


 

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