“And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” (Romans 5:5, NLT)
Romans 5:5 speaks of a “hope that does not lead to disappointment”. From the preceding three verses, you may deduce that the hope expounded upon in this verse above is based on a faith that leads to salvation. It is a faith that is built stronger through suffering, character building, and endurance. It is a hope that relies upon God first and foremost. Romans 12:12 tells us to rejoice in this kind of hope. The very same verse urges followers of Christ to build this kind of hope up with prayer, especially when facing persecution. 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us that true godly hope is powerful in a faithful person. It is nearly as important as faith or love. If you are truly saved in heart and soul, the hope that believes in God can sustain you when others desire only to give up or hide.
“As Vice President, George Bush represented the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev's widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev's wife performed an act of great courage and hope, a gesture that must surely rank as one of the most profound acts of civil disobedience ever committed: She reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband's chest.
There in the citadel of secular, atheistic power, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped that her husband was wrong. She hoped that there was another life, and that that life was best represented by Jesus who died on the cross, and that the same Jesus might yet have mercy on her husband.” (Gary Thomas, “Christianity Today”, October 3, 1994, p. 26)
A faithful hope in God does not give up in the knowledge that there are many ways for God to come through. When you are saved, a hope in the power of God will define you. It will fill you with meaning when others feel empty inside. It will sustain you. That kind of hope will lead you to see beyond your own frailty to the power of God beyond yourself. You won’t be afraid where others wilt and cower. You will have doubts or fears, but your hope in God will prove stronger given time.
On April 19, 1913, the mayor of Southampton in England commemorated a memorial placed in the library of the city. The memorial was to honor the musicians who played while the Titanic sank in April of 1912. The musicians played their instruments while passengers were ushered to the lifeboats. The musicians didn’t seek the lifeboats for themselves, knowing that there were was not even enough room in the life boats for all the women and children on board. They were resigned to their fate to drown in the ice-cold Atlantic Ocean. None of the musicians survived the sinking of the Titanic. Only three of the bodies of the eight musicians were ever recovered.
Though these eight men were resigned to their fate, that does not mean they died without hope. In fact, many people believe that the men held out hope in God and eternal life to the end. It is well known that one of the songs they played that night was “Nearer my God to Thee”. The words from the second verse of that song are not well known, but they were known by those musicians. The second verse states: “At the moment of death, my strength is from Heaven. God helps. Nothing should be feared. For ever.” Do you think it is coincidence that these well-taught musicians chose this song? I don’t think so. They may have died tragic deaths, but their hope in God lives on.
When you are a true Christian, a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, desire a hope doesn’t disappoint. It doesn’t matter what may happen to you, God will come through. Even if death were to overtake you on the Atlantic Ocean, it is only a short step to God’s arms in Heaven. There is nothing in life or death that can keep you from the love of God (Romans 8:37-39). No matter how difficult your predicament, hope in the Lord God. Just as Jesus was saved from the tomb, you can be saved in many ways by the all-powerful God of this universe. Seek answers from God when you need them. Trust in God’s grace when you fail. Look to God’s Word for comfort in times of trial. Rest securely in the providence of your Loving and Eternal Heavenly Father.
“As Vice President, George Bush represented the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev's widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev's wife performed an act of great courage and hope, a gesture that must surely rank as one of the most profound acts of civil disobedience ever committed: She reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband's chest.
There in the citadel of secular, atheistic power, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped that her husband was wrong. She hoped that there was another life, and that that life was best represented by Jesus who died on the cross, and that the same Jesus might yet have mercy on her husband.” (Gary Thomas, “Christianity Today”, October 3, 1994, p. 26)
A faithful hope in God does not give up in the knowledge that there are many ways for God to come through. When you are saved, a hope in the power of God will define you. It will fill you with meaning when others feel empty inside. It will sustain you. That kind of hope will lead you to see beyond your own frailty to the power of God beyond yourself. You won’t be afraid where others wilt and cower. You will have doubts or fears, but your hope in God will prove stronger given time.
On April 19, 1913, the mayor of Southampton in England commemorated a memorial placed in the library of the city. The memorial was to honor the musicians who played while the Titanic sank in April of 1912. The musicians played their instruments while passengers were ushered to the lifeboats. The musicians didn’t seek the lifeboats for themselves, knowing that there were was not even enough room in the life boats for all the women and children on board. They were resigned to their fate to drown in the ice-cold Atlantic Ocean. None of the musicians survived the sinking of the Titanic. Only three of the bodies of the eight musicians were ever recovered.
Though these eight men were resigned to their fate, that does not mean they died without hope. In fact, many people believe that the men held out hope in God and eternal life to the end. It is well known that one of the songs they played that night was “Nearer my God to Thee”. The words from the second verse of that song are not well known, but they were known by those musicians. The second verse states: “At the moment of death, my strength is from Heaven. God helps. Nothing should be feared. For ever.” Do you think it is coincidence that these well-taught musicians chose this song? I don’t think so. They may have died tragic deaths, but their hope in God lives on.
When you are a true Christian, a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, desire a hope doesn’t disappoint. It doesn’t matter what may happen to you, God will come through. Even if death were to overtake you on the Atlantic Ocean, it is only a short step to God’s arms in Heaven. There is nothing in life or death that can keep you from the love of God (Romans 8:37-39). No matter how difficult your predicament, hope in the Lord God. Just as Jesus was saved from the tomb, you can be saved in many ways by the all-powerful God of this universe. Seek answers from God when you need them. Trust in God’s grace when you fail. Look to God’s Word for comfort in times of trial. Rest securely in the providence of your Loving and Eternal Heavenly Father.