Hebrews 13: 8
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
Sometimes hope is loud.
Sometimes it crashes into the walls of our hearts like the giant waves of a stormy sea - unbridled, unrestrained. Bold.
It pulls us to the edge of our seats, makes it hard to sit still, sets our feet to tapping.
And then sometimes hope is quiet.
Sometimes it simply stands while the world around it falls, remains through the heart break, and holds fast in the unraveling.
Sometimes it's too tired to dance for joy, too battle-weary to sing.
But it's there.
Anchored in.
Trusting.
Hebrews 1:10-12 tells us that everything in this world fails, BUT God. He is INCAPABLE of failing. There is NO END TO HIM. Yesterday, today, and forever He will be on the throne, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. He will always be the life-giver, healer, and bringer of light; freedom, salvation, and source of our strength. He will never change. He will never not be exactly who He has always been.
1 Thessalonians 4:13
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed…so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.”
Psalm 39:7
“But now, O Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.”
Years ago, we sang a song at our church with these words, “I have made you too small in my eyes, O Lord, forgive me.” And, too often, when we would sing these words, my heart would feel the depth of truth etched within them. Why? Because it was my truth. Too often in my life, I had taken my eyes off of God and placed them on the situation that I faced. Not so for David. In Psalm 39:7, David looked to God and in Him FOUND hope. He didn't lose it - he FOUND it. How? He set His gaze on the character of God. In Psalm 27, he writes, "I would have despaired unless I believed I would see the goodness of the Lord (vs 13)." At the end of the day, God is the only unchanging. Anchored deep into His character, our hope will be secure. Tied to any other source, it will falter at the first sight of a coming storm.
Psalm 27:1-3
The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
10 Years ago on this very day, I was leaning over my son's bed at the hospital singing over his tiny body. Machines breathed for him. When I close my eyes, I can still hear the beeping and smell the sterile air of the room mixed with the smell of my his sweat. He had been through multiple surgeries. They had told us there was no hope. i didn't know what else to do but sing. So that is what I did.
Amazing Grace.
Great is Thy Faithfulness.
It is Well With My Soul.
How Great Is Our God.
Bless the Lord, O My Soul.
I sang until I had no songs left. And then, I cried.
"God, what can I sing over him now?"
You've never been anything but faithful.
You've never been anything but good.
You've never been anything but beautiful, so beautiful.
You've never been anything but loving.
You've never been anything but kind.
You've never been anything but wonderful, so wonderful.
The words began to pour from my heart - written by the Father when I needed the most. I clung to each syllable and savored the promise within them. I knew that - no matter what - even if...I'd be okay. God would be faithful. He would be good. He would love me through it. He would meet me with His kindness.
Hope that night wasn't loud.
It was as soft as a lullaby.
But it was as strong as a lion and as steady as seasoned love.
When I recorded the song years later on my album, "Uncaged," I had planned to add instruments. After hearing the origin of the song, my producer asked, "Would you be willing to just sit at a piano and take us back to that room with you? Just sing it from your heart." As you listen, you will hear the creak in the old chair I sat on, the sniff that I tried to hide as the tears ran freely, the hoarseness of a tired voice, and I pray - above all - you will hear HOPE.
Hope loud like a resounding gong.
And hope soft like the whisper of a friend.
Hope that is anchored in God's character.
And hope that refuses to be lost when, in Him, it can be FOUND.