What Does Hope Look Like?

I wonder if the wise men that came to see Jesus were slightly disappointed that the hope of the world looked so small, so very much like the baby that Jesus was?

Looking through stories in the bible, hope often takes a strangely unhopeful appearance. For the Israelites fleeing Egypt if looked like a nervous man with a big stick. For Noah and his family it was a boat in the middle of a desert that had never known rain. For Daniel it was kneeling in prayer as hungry lions threatened to lung. For David it was five rocks and a sling against a man an entire army cowered from.

Hope is God meeting people in the midst of impossible situations and partnering with them right where they are. It doesn't matter what one has or doesn't have, God is without limits. He would have helped David defeat Goliath with a pocket knife if that were the weapon on hand. It is very easy for me to look around and realize how ill equipped I am for the challenges that come in life. But all too often, I forget to also take into account the fact that the storehouses of heaven are open and available through Christ. I've been pondering this verse lately: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt 10:7) Hold up your hand and look at it. That's how close heaven is! Not at the stars, or even at the tops of the trees, it's "at hand," ready and waiting to be accessed by those that God has commissioned to establish His kingdom on earth. In case you're wondering, that includes any one who has accepted Christ, not just the pastors or famous evangelists.

God doesn't need the help of people to save the world and accomplish His will. He chooses to partner with His kids in a such a way that they become not only the avenue He works through, but also a vital part in bringing God's glory and hope to earth.

Colossians 1:27 says, "Christ in you, the hope of glory."I've often read that verse and cynically thought, "Well there's not much hope in that!" But that mindset only looks at one half of the equation. Through my acceptance of Christ, I have been infused with the same power that conquered the grave and shattered the plans of the enemy. Slowly, I am learning to change my perspective from telling God what I have, to asking Him what He has. I want people to see His glory in me, that hope might rise up in them, even if it looks like all I'm equipped with is a stick, boat, or sling.