Friends, 

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." - 1 Peter 1:3

Hope is not a word our culture understands. Today, when people say, “I hope,” what they tend to mean is “I wish.” Hope is an optimistic desire that things will go my way.  Hope tends to be a kind of magical word akin to blowing out the candles on a cake, or throwing a coin into a fountain, or making a wish upon a star. Really, it’s more like luck than anything else.

However, when the Bible speaks about hope it speaks in terms of certainty, solidness, dependability, and strength. Biblical hope is something guaranteed; something trustworthy because it’s based on God’s unchanging character and his faithfulness to fulfill his word and his promises.

For Christians, hope is more like an anchor than a wish. Hebrews 6:19 says, “We have this hope as an anchor for our soul, firm and secure.” Our hope in Christ is an anchor that holds no matter how bad things get.

In the early church, especially during the Roman persecutions, Christians used the anchor as their symbol of choice, particularly on gravestones. In fact, in some places they displayed the anchor even more frequently than the symbol of the cross. In other places, the anchor and cross were a combined symbol.

Think about it, if I’m a first century Christian hiding in the catacombs because my friends and family have been martyred, the symbol that encourages my faith, declares my hope, and tells me to hold firm is the anchor. When I see it, I’m reminded that Jesus is my hope and anchor through every storm in this world. I’m reminded that death is not the last word. I’m strengthened because I’m eternally secure in Him, no matter what temporal trials I face.

Rejoice, Beloved Ones, during this Eastertide because we have a great and living hope! The same power that resurrected Jesus Christ from the dead is now at work in us rescuing us from our death. It’s true that we may grow old physically, but the Scriptures affirm that we are are being made new internally by the life of Christ within us. By faith, we participate in the resurrection life of Jesus. The Holy Spirit now attests to us that we belong to him. We need not fear death. We need not fear judgment. We can live securely and freely because we know that one day, we will marvel and rejoice as we see our resurrected Lord face to face.

Easter blessings to you in our living hope,

Blessings,

+Chris