only hope

What do you hope for?

What do you hope in?

Which hopes define you, so that you know you would find fulfillment if they were realized, and bitter disappointment if they weren't?

HOPE is a huge concept in a small word.

Hope is the mindset of faith (Heb. 11:13-16), the theme song of creation (Rom. 8:18-30), the antidote to depression (Ps. 42:11), a trademark of Christian character (Rom. 5:1-5), the source of Christian boldness (2 Cor. 3).

Christ is our hope. His sacrifice is our hope of salvation, and His righteousness is our hope of righteousness.

But is He our only hope?

So often I place my hope in something less than the promises of Christ. Make my own plans and let my happiness rise or fall on them. Trust my own "righteousness" to gain me favor in the eyes of God. Hope in heaven, rest, release from problems on the earth -- instead of hoping in Christ.

These things I do in blindness -- blindness to the truth that there is no hope apart from the hope of Christ. The fulfillment of all my lesser "hopes" would still be death and damnation apart from the hope of Christ.

Is He your only hope?