Hope Deffered

 
Hope is something that everyone feels at some point in their life. As a child we hope for Christmas gifts.  As a teen, we hope that we do well on school tests.  As adults, we hope for a career that will be fulfilling and give us a good income.  Our hope list could be endless; a partner, a home, food, children, grandchildren, health. 
 
I don’t remember a Christmas season in which I have heard such hopelessness in people.  Strong political opinions are causing family and friends to be divided.  I hear of hopelessness because of election results.  Some feel hopeless because of government and business decisions. There have been natural and manmade disasters that leave a sense of hopelessness. Our instinctive response is to hope in the things we can see and in the situations and people we are able to have some control over. We want to have our hope satisfied quickly.
 
While I was reading in the book of Hebrews for my quiet time, I was made aware of something I had not realized before. I had read the portion many times.
 
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.                Hebrews 11: 13
 
The verses previous to verse 13 speak of several Old Testament men and women who are often referred to as the Heroes of Faith.  God had promised them many blessings during their life.  Those heroes each experienced some of those promised blessings while they lived on earth but not everything.  They died “not having received the promises”.  However, they died with hope still in their hearts. 
 
They could see them “afar off.”  They trusted God’s “assurance” that these things would come to pass. God would keep his promises.
 
My hope for the future does not come from circumstances. It is not dependent upon the ruling government.  It comes through my relationship, my connection with Jesus Christ God’s Son.  It is dependent on my hope in the promises that He gives me in His word.  I may not see all of His promises come to pass in my lifetime.  But as I put my faith in, and trust in Him daily, as I see Him work in my life, I have the “assurance”, hope, that He will keep his promises at some time in the future.  My hope that God is in control of the future grows stronger.   
 
Followers of Jesus use the Christmas season to remember the birth of Jesus Christ.  Jesus, God’s Son came as the promised Saviour bringing hope, peace and joy to into seemingly hopeless situations. He will make wrong right.
 
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. Jeremiah 23:5   (NKJV)
 
We may not see these injustices corrected in our lifetime, but we can have assurance that God will keep His promise.  The situations we see as evil, wrong, and without justice will be made right, in God’s time.
 
Our hope may be deferred, but God’s promises will be fulfilled.
 

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