What is hope? How do you GET hope? What do you do with hope and what does hope do FOR YOU?
I have been wondering about hope lately and decided to do some digging. I found out some good stuff! So I wanted to share it with you guys. (That means YOU, reading this blog right now.) *smile*
The Bible we have today was translated from original writings in Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament). In both these languages, there are numerous words that were translated into the English word "hope." So, hope has many meanings.
(For this study, I used THIS website and THIS OTHER website.)
The Old Testament uses words that mean "security and safety" and "trust, confidence, and refuge," for example.
Hope is also used as a verb, meaning things like "to wait, hope, expect, await, tarry to wait for, hope for."
In the Greek New Testament, the main word used for "hope" is "elpis," which means "to anticipate, usually with pleasure."
To me, hope is expectation... assurance that something better is on the way... a guarantee that things will be okay. Or wanting; REALLY, really hoping for something.
What is hope to you?
The Bible give TONS of examples of what hope is and what it is for. You can choose any verse you like and cling to it as a promise. God's word is full of promises and encouragement FOR YOU. (Again, that means YOU, reading this blog right now.) *another smile*
Here are just a few of the verses offering HOPE, just for you:
Psalm 25:5 - "Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You."
Psalm 62:5 - "I wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him."
Isaiah 42:3 - "He will not crush those who are weak or quench the smallest hope. He will bring full justice to all who have been wronged."
Zechariah 9:12 - "Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners, for there is yet hope! I promise this very day that I will repay you two mercies for each of your woes!"
Matthew 12:20 - "He will not crush those who are weak, or quench the smallest hope, until He brings full justice with His final victory."
Romans 15:13 - "So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in Him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."
1 Timothy 4:10 - "We work hard and suffer much in order that people will believe the truth, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and particularly of those who believe.
Hebrews 10:23 - "Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep His promise."
Hope is free, hope is for you, and hope is RELIABLE.
So here, take some HOPE!
