What the bible says about hope...

Hope Might Seem Impossible at Times

Abraham and Sarah were very old when God told them to pack their lives up and move to a new land. They were childless and God promised that they would have a son -- and in fact that they would be the ancestors to countless generations. Kind of hard to believe. St. Paul writes about this to the church in Rome:

"God promised Abraham a lot of descendants. Abraham believed, hoping against hope that he would be the father of many nations. Abraham's faith had never become weak, not even when he was nearly a hundred years old. He knew that he was nearly dead and that his wife Sarah could not have children. But Abraham never doubted or questioned God's promise. His faith made him strong, and he gave all the credit to God"
Romans 4:18-20

Your turn:

What do you notice about the example of Abraham and Sarah?

They hoped, even when there didn't seem to be any reason to hope
Hope is based on faith in God's relationship with us
St. Paul uses this example because he wants to the Romans to be strong in their hope
How and why do I doubt God's promise to me?

When bad things happen, hope is threatened

For a long time, people have wondered why bad things happen to good people. The Book of Job (pronounced "Jobe") tells the story of a good man named Job. In the story the devil tells God that the only reason that Job is faithful to him is because he has an easy life -- large family, riches, nice house, etc. The devil said that if God allowed him to take away these things from Job, that Job would curse God.

We find out at the end of the story (hope I'm not ruining it for you) that Job DOESN'T curse God. But in the in-between time is rough. Listen to this speech that Job gives to his friends...listen to how his hope is threatened because he can't see how God can let the bad things happen to him.


"I cry out, "This is not fair!" and I am not heard. I cry for help, but there is no answer... God has me trapped with a wall of darkness and stripped of respect. God breaks me down on every side and I am gone. My hope he has uprooted like a tree."
Job 18:7..10

Your turn:

What does this say to people who are going through rough times

It's common to blame God when no solution is in sight
Sometimes it feels as if God doesn't answer -- or isn't there at all
Even complaining to God or about God is a kind of an act of hope
This moment of despair isn't the end of the story -- even though to Job it seems like it

Hope is based on what God has done for us

In this psalm, the person sings to God about hope.

"You are my hope, Lord;
my trust, God, from my youth.

On you I depend since birth;
from my mother's womb you are my strength.
My hope in you never wavers."
Psalm 71: 5-6

Your turn:

What does this kind of hope show?

Hope is the basis for life
God is with us in every breath of our lives
Even if life gets messed up, it's helpful to rely on God


©2001 Ralph Sommer