Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”
Hope brings life, purpose and direction. Without hope, the soul shrivels. I’ve seen it in the lives of many people languishing in refugee camps where they have lost everything. People often die for lack of hope before they die for lack of medicine.
This was graphically illustrated by a study of concentration camp survivors, which aimed to determine the common characteristics of those who didn’t succumb to disease and starvation in the camps. The results showed that it was those who retained hope and dreamt against all odds who pulled through. Victor Frankl epitomized such a man. He was a successful Viennese psychiatrist before being incarcerated by the Nazis. Many years later, whilst addressing a number of illustrious dignitaries, he declared, “There’s only one reason why I’m here today. What kept me alive was you. Others gave up hope. I dreamed. I dreamed that someday I would be here, telling you how I, Victor Frankl, had survived the Nazi concentration camps. I’ve never been here before, I’ve never seen any of you before, I’ve never given this speech before. But in my dreams, in my dreams, I have stood before you and said these words a thousand times.”
Hope gives oxygen to our dreams. Hebrews 12:2 encourages us to “fix our eyes on Jesus… who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God” – he saw beyond the suffering of the cross because his hope was unshakeable. Whatever circumstances we’re going through today, verse 3 further encourages us to “consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose hope”. Are we looking to man or God for hope? Well, man’s way leads to a hopeless end but God’s way leads to endless hope.
God, I choose to put my hope in you today. Amen!
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