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FINDING JOY IN HOPE
BY JONI OQUIST
YOU MADE ME; YOU CREATED ME. NOW GIVE ME THE SENSE TO FOLLOW YOUR COMMANDS. MAY ALL WHO FEAR YOU FIND IN ME A CAUSE FOR JOY, FOR I HAVE PUT MY HOPE IN YOUR WORD.
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PSALM 119:73-74 (NLT)
My grandson recently learned to walk. For weeks, everyone in his life encouraged him along in the process. Family and friends exclaimed phrases like, “You can do it!” and “Come to me, Oliver!” as they eagerly awaited witnessing his first steps.
There’s much joy in watching a baby learn what their legs are made to do. Once the child finally does stand up, there’s the quick urge to hold on to someone or something for fear of falling. In time, however, confidence builds, and a few wobbly steps eventually become many sturdy steps. In our family’s case, we’ve gone from hoping Oliver would walk soon to hoping we can keep up with him now that he IS walking!
One of God’s greatest gifts to us is hope. The hope we read about in the Bible is much more than wishful thinking. It’s not hoping your favorite team wins or you do well on a test. Instead of wishing or hoping for something to happen, a believer knows the hope we have in Jesus is concrete evidence because it is grounded in the Word of God. Hope motivates us to use our “legs of faith” to pursue God in every area of our lives. Stepping out can seem scary at first, but knowing that God created us and knows what we’re capable of means He can be trusted.
Just as our grandson has brought us joy learning to walk, we bring others joy as they see how our hope in Jesus moves us forward. When I see you putting your hope in Jesus even when you’re struggling, I know I can too. If I see you fall, I will encourage you to get back up and try again. With each step forward, we decide toward Jesus and away from hopelessness and discouragement. Our confidence strengthens our legs of faith, and hope lights the path ahead. We find joy in hope!
Moving Forward
Is the hope you have in Jesus obvious to others? Take time to thank someone who has brought you joy as you’ve watched them pursue and serve God.
