Hope

I would like to assert that God created a hope-filled universe. This is true according to His Word and this is true according to scientific evidence.

My definition of hope is: the possibility for something new and better. We have the hope of heaven, when all things will be made new and, of course, better. We also have hope on earth: according to Psalm 27:13, “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” That’s what I want to write about: our hope on earth.

There is proof from nature (God’s creation) that we have hope on earth. God’s creation speaks of His character and His will. There was, of course, hope in the World before the fall: God blessed His creation and said, “’Be fruitful and increase in number…’” (Genesis 1:22) There is also hope in the world after the fall: according to scientific evidence, our planet fosters life wherever it can, as fast as it can. That hasn’t changed in spite of the introduction of death. God hasn’t changed His mind about wanting life to increase. The laws of physics/biology are somehow oriented towards life on earth (contrary to popular scientific thought/myth).

I defined hope as being the possibility for new and better things. A life-oriented planet presents the possibility for new life. New life is always better. “God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:25) God demonstrates in His creation that He still desires life to increase and hope to abound. If that’s God’s heart – if His heart is always towards an increase in life and hope – then it must be true in our lives and experiences as well. God wouldn’t bless His physical creation and not us! He must be increasing our life (and hope) more and more, in spite of death and sin. He loves us more than He loves His creation. “’Look at the birds of the air… Are you not much more valuable than they?’” (Matthew 6:26) We are His children and He promises to give us good things, and He declared life to be good. “’Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!’” (Matthew 7:9-11)

What do I mean by “life” when I’m talking about us? I’m not talking about our physical life so much as our spiritual, mental and emotional life. Our relationship with God prospers more and more over time: “Your eyes will see the King in His beauty and view a land that stretches afar.” (Isaiah 33:17) Our thought life (our mind) prospers more and more: “’The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth.’” (John 16:13)  Our emotional life is blessed more and more over time: “He lifted me out of the pit, out of the mud and mire.” (Psalm 40:2) “He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters… He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.” (Psalm 18: 16, 19)

We use the words “life-giving” here at CARE. We have learned that we can increase one another’s “life” and that God can increase ours. We have learned that our brains are made such that our joy can increase over time. There is always hope! “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)

I want to repeat the essence of my argument: In six days God created the universe, but it changes and is always new. “’See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare…’” (Isaiah 42:9) Not only that, but He exerts a force for life and for better things. “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” (Romans 8:28)

HOPE = new + better.

Here’s another illustration, though it’s a bit of a stretch. Gravity draws things toward the sun, which emits light. Light is equated with life: “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.” (John 1:4) Therefore we are drawn towards life.

God is not a God of ruts or pits. Even if we’re on a meandering path, we will still inevitably move toward life. We have a Son-centered universe: “…whoever lives by the truth comes into the light.” (John 3:21) When you think that your options are decreasing, the truth is that your life is increasing, your possibilities are increasing, your hope is increasing, and you always have the choice for more life! Even though there is death (our wrong choices), God creates life out of death.

Ephesians 3:20 states that God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine,” which means that we can never be sure that we have imagined everything that God could possibly do next in our lives. That truth is evident in His Creation, too. We have a hope-filled universe!

“Send forth Your light and Your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to Your holy mountain, to the place where You dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise You with the harp, O God, my God.

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” (Psalm 43: 3-5)

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