Articles & Devotionals
Hopefully or Hope Fully?
Hopefully or hope fully?
In the midst of this crisis which word describes you and your family more? When uncertainty comes to our doorstep I think it’s in our physical human nature to react hopefully. That means we wish that things will turn out for the better. John Piper said that we often use the word hope in 1 of 3 ways.
“We use the word hope in at least three different ways.
- Hope is the desire for something good in the future. The children might say, “I hope daddy gets home early tonight so we can play kickball after supper before his meeting.” In other words, they desire for him to get home early so that they can experience this good thing, namely, playing together after supper.
- Hope is the good thing in the future that we are desiring. We say, “Our hope is that Jim will arrive safely.” In other words, Jim’s safe arrival is the object of our hope.
- Hope is the reason why our hope might indeed come to pass. We say, “A good tailwind is our only hope of arriving on time.” In other words, the tailwind is the reason we may, in fact, achieve the future good that we desire. It’s our only hope.
So hope is used in three senses:
- A desire for something good in the future,
- the thing in the future that we desire, and
- the basis or reason for thinking that our desire may indeed be fulfilled.” From his sermon “What Is Hope?”
So many times when we say hopefully we are wishfully wanting something good to happen but that seems to be the end of its reach as we hear the uncertainty in our voice . The Bible speaks of hope in much different terms. Someone once stated biblical hope in this way: HOPE = Desire + Expectation. Notice what Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:13.
1Peter 1:13 ESV
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
He doesn’t say hopefully but hope fully. There is not just an intense desire but a full confidence that Jesus Christ is coming again with grace for His people. How is it possible that we can have this confident expectation in our hope? Because a saint’s hope is anchored in the unchangeable God of the universe.
Hebrews 6:17-20 NASB
“In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, (18) so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. (19) This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, (20) where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
God tells us to take hold of this hope, live life within this hope because it is anchored in Jesus who does not change and will bring about what He has promised. This is what we can expect! So in the midst of this crisis and this new normal that seems to be changing daily you and me can have the DESIRE and EXPECTATION that God will bring us through according to His plan. Let’s not be hopeful today, but hope fully today in our Almighty God who is in control.
For now I will leave you with God’s words…
Hebrews 13:5b-8 NASB
“for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," (6) so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?" (7) Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. (8) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
In God’s love,
Adam
