Puzzled?

I don’t know about you but there are many things in life that have me puzzled.  I scratch my head over the crazy stories on “My Strange Addiction” on TLC, Global warming, and gas prices. Don’t get me started on Lady Gaga or Jersey Shore.  I don’t get it.    

Outside of these peculiarities, I am encountered with situations and circumstances in this world that leave me puzzled.  Why do people struggle with incurable illness? Why did that tragedy occur? Why do people hurt one another? Why does injustice continue? Why? Why? I am puzzled by humanity and life’s unfairness.  There are often more question marks than exclamation points.   I would stay in a state of bewilderment unless I remembered this one truth.  There is HOPE.

HOPE.  Hope believes there is a bigger picture.  Hope is the joyful anticipation of something good.   Let that sink in a minute.  Joyful. Anticipation.  Of something GOOD. 

I am not saying we ignore the issues around us- on the contrary, we can run towards them knowing that we have the answer! And the answer is Hope.  And hope only comes from one Source.

In 1 Timothy, Paul says the Lord Jesus Christ IS our hope.  We are not as those without hope. We are a light to those in darkness of despair because we have found the “anchor of our souls.”

Last week in children’s church, I asked the kids to close their eyes and imagine that we were a ship on the sea, right smack dab in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight.  Then we pretended a huge hurricane with crashing, overpowering waves, lightning, wind, swirling around our boat on the open sea.  But…our boat did not capsize.  We took on some water and it was a little treacherous but we were not overwhelmed or overcome by the storm.  The reason the boisterous wind and gnarly waves did not shake our little boat was because of a secret.  We had put the anchor down before the storm came.  And the anchor kept our boat safe despite the out of control storm. 

Our anchor is the hope we have in Christ Jesus.  And that hope does not disappoint.  We must hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for He who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23).  When the car payment is past due, when the husband is not listening, when the kids are out of control, when nothing makes senses, we can stay anchored in this hope.  We do not have to succumb to the wind and waves.  We are anchored.  Remember that Hope is the joyful anticipation of something good.  So think of that something good you are hoping for when life is overwhelming.  Attach your faith to it and watch God work.

Hebrews 11 says, “Faith is the substance of things HOPED for…”

Attach your faith to your hope and watch God work.  Abiding faith leans into hope and attracts the promises of God.