God Of Hope

Just a few days ago, Hurricane Helene left immeasurable devastation across the southeast US with over 200 confirmed dead. Many, many others are still missing and unaccounted for. And as I’m writing this another hurricane is forming in the Gulf of Mexico on a path toward the west coast of Florida. We will certainly hear of more of the same devastation when it makes landfall. I watched a news report last evening filled with images from around western North Carolina showing entire communities washed away in the swiftly moving flood waters that rolled through the area taking everything with it in its path. Seeing the faces of survivors made it evident that the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene goes beyond these visible losses. For when tragedy strikes, it challenges our sense of security and tests our resilience. Those who survived are left to wrestle with feelings of grief, hopelessness and despair. It made me think that to lose hope is perhaps the greatest tragedy of all, for it is hope that keeps us moving forward.

However, not all hope is the same. Many place their hope in things that are fleeting — earthly things that can be taken from us when disaster strikes. Yet, these are all temporary, and when calamity like Hurricane Helene strikes, such hopes quickly reveal their frailty. Even life itself can be snatched away in the blink of an eye.

What should those of us here and far away from these tragedies be doing? Scripture says we are to “mourn with those who mourn”, Romans 12:15. Beyond empathy, it implies that we do something tangible to lift those needing assistance.

• Our prayers should be for healing and for the hope found in Jesus to be made evident to everyone affected.
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• Support local efforts from your church that are reaching out to those communities with supplies, food and volunteer teams. Be the hands and feet of Jesus.
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• Remember and communicate to anyone that you know in those communities and share where lasting hope comes from.
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• For us, let’s not anchor our lives in transient things, which in the end is to live with a dead hope. It is a hope that crumbles when faced with the uncontrollable forces of nature and the uncertainties of life.

In contrast, Christians are called to a living hope. As the apostle Peter reminds us, this living hope is rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5).

His victory over death gives believers an unshakable assurance that their hope is not in vain, no matter what disasters or trials may come. This hope is not based on the shifting sands of circumstance but on the eternal promise that Christ is making all things new (Revelation 21:5).

Even more, this living hope is not just a promise of survival; it is a promise of an inheritance that can never perish (1 Peter 1:4). The new life we have in Christ cannot be destroyed by hurricanes, floods, or any other worldly catastrophe. It is an eternal inheritance kept secure by God, who watches over His people and sustains them through faith (1 Peter 1:5).

In the face of unimaginable loss we’ve seen this past week, we are reminded that God not only initiates our salvation but also preserves us through it. This gives us confidence that no matter how severe the storm, those who trust in Christ are upheld by His strength. In times of crisis, He grants His people the will to persevere, ensuring that they cling to Him even in the most turbulent of circumstances.

John Calvin once said that Peter's reminder of our indestructible hope helps us "not be broken down by present troubles" but to patiently endure them, trusting in the eternal happiness to come.

Disasters like Hurricane Helene will continue to come until Jesus returns. So, let us take comfort in this living hope. It empowers us to stand firm, knowing that our ultimate reward lies beyond this world. Take time to thank God for this hope that endures, even through the fiercest of storms. What does last forever is our eternal soul when we choose to follow Jesus, and the joy we are promised we will one day experience in the warm and welcoming arms of our Lord and Savior.


Credit: Ron Kelley