Hope

By Dean Kelly

Most everyone has had that feeling that the floor opened up, and we are falling down into a bottomless pit of despair. We find ourselves feeling as though all hope is gone. As we hurtle into that abyss of hopelessness it may seem that we have nothing to hold on to, nothing to break our rapid descent. All hope has fled from our hearts and anguish has taken over.

Paul describes a similar situation for the gentiles, “that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). 

Without hope and without God — this passage can accurately be applied to anyone outside of Christ today.

Note, however, what Paul says in verse 13, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” He continues in verse 16, “and that He might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross… .” In the one body, the church (Ephesians 1:22-23), God reconciles us to Him by the cross. Jesus gave Himself on the cross to purchase the church with His blood (Acts 20:28). That church is the body made up of all who submit to Jesus in obedient faith and are added to it by God (Acts 2:47).

When we return to the scenario where we feel as if the floor has been yanked from under us and we are falling into an abyss, something has changed. Now, having come to the cross and being washed in His blood, we have true hope as an anchor to catch us in that fall (Hebrews 6:19). We have been begotten to a living hope (1 Peter 1:3). We have the Lord Jesus Christ as our hope (1 Timothy 1:1). 

This hope is real and certain. It is not just a wish, but a concrete hope found in Jesus. Meet me at the cross where hope is found!