The 40 Day Journey - Day 19 (Hope)

I don't even know where to start tonight.  Yesterday is the first day I didn't blog about my hour with God during Lent.  It was not for lack of trying.

During our time together yesterday, I was asking God about hope. I was trying to figure out how the truth of scripture fit in with the thoughts in my head.  For instance, I hope my kids have a good day, I hope it will be sunny this weekend, I hope my husband's cancer does not come back. Those are decent things, but if I put my hope in those, I very well could be disappointed.  But Romans 5:5 says hope does not disappoint.

I couldn't get past this so I raised my hands from the laptop in surrender and instead of blogging I went to my Facebook friends.  I asked them what hope was, and man do I have amazing friends. I felt they all "got it" right away, quoting scriptures and giving personal experiences.

I quickly figured out I was confusing earthly hope, wishful thinking, with the hope that can only come from God.  My brother-in-law just had a health scare this weekend that was pretty serious.  I hoped he would be okay, can I hope for that? I feel like the answer is no since my hope should be in God. (See why I can't figure this out, how can I not hope someone I love would be well?) I guess I hope in God and that He will work these things for His glory, no matter the outcome. But it really changes my perspective.

I "happened" to have planned on spending time with Judy Gann today, the author of The God of all Comfort.  I presented my dilemma to her and she pulled out her book.  She has a devotional on just this topic! She writes, "The hope we place in earthly things and people falters. The hope we place in God is firm and secure -- as solid as an anchor (Heb 6:19)."

So I went to Hebrews 6:19 and it says "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil." I have read that scripture dozens of times and honestly just skipped over it because it did not make sense.  Hope.  Anchor.  Veil.  How do these even relate?

So let's go through this and see where we land.  Hope as an anchor.  This makes sense I guess.  An anchor is sure and steadfast. When we are connected to the anchor we know we are safe. We may be tossed about in life's storms, but not tossed out of reach.  The Greek word for anchor is a metaphor for safeguard.  Which can be defined as a permit for safe passage, something that ensures safety. (and specifically of our soul)

Then we have veil.  This is a reference to the veil before the Holy of Holies in the temple.  This is where the Ark of the Covenant rested, God's earthly dwelling place.  Only the high priest could go in once a year to make atonement for the sins of himself and the people.  No one else was allowed access.  In Matthew 27:50-51 as Jesus yielded His spirit while hanging crucified on the cross, the veil was literally torn from top to bottom in the tabernacle.  This veil was 60 feet high, 30 feet wide and four inches thick, only God could have done this.

The veil represented the division between God and man, which is sin.  When Christ died, He took all of our sin upon Himself that we may have access to God.  When Christ died, the veil torn, His life as a sacrifice, we were then allowed to be in God's very presence!  It is finished!  Done deal, no take backs.

Remember when I said the Greek word for anchor was a metaphor for safeguard (a safe passage)? We have this hope (Jesus) as an anchor (a safe passage) to God, we have access (through the veil) now to the God of the universe, nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus! Though the things of this earth that can be shaken are shaken, our circumstances, our health, our families...hope remains, steadfast and sure. (1 Cor 13:13)

Here is the deal. I feel like this is both profoundly simple and completely complex at the same time. What I know is that at this very moment, I am desperate for hope.  I struggle with hoping for things here on earth, things that are seen, temporary.  I struggle with despair and hopelessness. What I also know (now) is that this gift of hope is mine.  How do I know?  Because Galatians 2:20 says,

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Galatians tells me that Christ lives in me, and Hebrews tells us that Christ is hope. Then can't we then deduce that hope lives in me?  I already have what I so desperately have been grasping after.

Of course God is His sweetness gave me a song, Cornerstone by Hillsong...Christ alone; Cornerstone, Weak made strong in the Saviour's love, Through the storm; He is Lord, Lord of all. My anchor holds within the veil.

My anchor, both sure and steadfast, holds within the veil. And I am in the presence of God.