ZPCBlog

About the author: Sarah Jenkins and her family joined ZPC in 2022. She and her husband, Nick, have three girls who keep them on their toes. Sarah is Clinical Health Psychologist and owns her own practice in Indianapolis. 

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1

When I was 6-years-old, my family visited the ocean for the first time. I remember parts of it clearly. My mom and brother were swimming, laughing, and moving farther out into the ocean. My dad and I stood hand-in-hand in the shallow end, as the waves lapped in and out around our legs. I was mesmerized by the schools of fish swimming around us. It was like nothing I’d ever seen. Suddenly, and without explanation, I looked up and began to panic when I saw how far out my brother and mom were. The panic had me convinced that if they continued swimming, they would swim right off the edge of the earth. Or even worse, they’d get attacked by sharks and then swim off the edge of the earth. My dad continued to calmly hold my hand as I grew increasingly more anxious. He calmly assured me that they would return to us safely and reminded me that I could trust him to keep me safe in my fear.

As a child, I lacked basic understanding about the world. I did not know the world was round. I did not understand that my mother and brother would not simply backstroke their way off the edge of the horizon into nothingness. Even worse, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. What I did know was that I could hold on tighter to my dad’s hand. I could trust that he would see me through my panic and anxiety. I knew he could comfort me in my not-knowing and lack of understanding. He gave me hope that things would be okay.

Hope is both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it is described as a “feeling of expectation and desire” for a certain positive outcome. As a verb, it is understood as a “wanting for something to be the case.” To understand what Paul is communicating to the Hebrews in Hebrews 11, it is essential to shift from our secular understanding of hope and consider biblical hope.  

Biblical hope is understood as joyful expectation rooted in God’s faithfulness and character. Biblical hope serves as an anchor for our souls. It provides assurance of salvation and eternal life. Dr. Tim Keller wrote that biblical hope isn’t “wishful thinking,” but is instead an “unshakable certainty" in God’s promises.

In Hebrews, Paul links hope and faith. In fact, he suggests hope is essential in faith, as it gives our faith direction. Hope is the anchor to our faith. We can live in hopeful expectation even when we experience hardships. Even when we are stressed and worried about the future. We can hold our father’s hand and rest assured in his promises.

Prayerfully consider the 1873 hymn Blessed Assurance:

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this time to be still and prayerfully consider the role of biblical hope in our faith. Forgive us when we are not anchored in the hope and peace that comes from knowing you. Thank you for this time of advent as we wait in joyful expectation for our promised savior, Jesus. In his name we pray, Amen.   

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