Hope

"Dum spiro spero."  The motto of my home state, South Carolina.  

Translated, it means "While I breathe, I hope."

Andrew Westmoreland is the President of Samford University, which is located in Birmimgham, Alabama, and a great school that I was blessed to attend.  In the March, 2014 edition of Seasons, he wrote the following about Samford:  "More than ever, this is a place of boundless hope."  What a neat way to describe that fine school!

Did you catch it?  "a place of boundless hope."

I've come to realize that the ultimate sweet spot in life is in a relationship with God.  There is no better place than that.  And it is by far the greatest "place of boundless hope."

"Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my soul finds hope in Him", says Psalm 62:5.  Finding rest is the exact opposite of living like a tense bundle of nerves.  And this rest, which is the same as inner peace, is grounded in the hope we find in a connection with the one, true, living God of the universe. 

Hope in God is way more than wishful thinking.  And it is far better than, "Gee, it sure would be nice if God comes through for me."  Hope in God is actually a rock-solid assurance that He will eternally look out for us and keep us safe in His arms.

We have hope because we know one day God will welcome us home, wipe away our tears, give us a new body, and allow us to spend all of eternity with Him.  All of our troubles in this world will be over.  And a new, better life will begin. 

In the 80's, there was a popular song that included the lyrics, "My future's so bright, I gotta wear shades!"  That's especially true for us Christians.  In The Lord, our future is bright indeed.  And that is the ultimate hope we have.

Yes, we find an abundance of wonderful hope in the presence of almighty God.  Because of this, let's not despair.  Let's not throw in the towel and quit on life.  No way!  Let's keep a smile on our face, a spring in our step, and a song of praise on our lips.  Why?  Because the best things in life are ahead for those of us who are connected with God through Jesus Christ.

My prayer is that these words of Paul in Romans 15:13 will become a reality in our lives today:  "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit."