'Renewed Hope'

Jim Scarborough
Inspiration

Hope is one of those little words that has great meaning to life. When hope fades, the drive to continue on wanes. Individuals often fight against disease valiantly, but if they feel that hope has been lost for the return of good health, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, for them to continue the struggle to live.

The subject of hope is no stranger to Scripture. As Paul and a shipload of other men struggled on the sea in a fierce battle that pounded upon them for many days, their hope for survival was put to the extreme test: "When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved" (Acts 27:20, NIV). While their human hope gave way to hopelessness, they found fresh hope in God as an angel appeared to Paul with assurance that the lives of all aboard would be spared.

The Bible includes hope in the definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1. It places hope alongside love and faith in I Corinthians 13:13. It refers to the future return of Christ as the blessed hope for Christians (Titus 2:13).

Hope in the divine assurance of God's promises has sustained His people in the most trying times imaginable. That same hope will sustain you and me during our times of need if we will but continue to rely upon God and His Word.

One of the most beautiful and powerful examples of renewed hope is found in Mark 5:25-34. It is the account of a woman who had suffered a physical malady that caused her to hemorrhage for twelve years. Surely her hope was all but lost. We are told in Scripture that everything she tried failed - she spent all that she had seeking help from many physicians, but she got worse instead of better.

Although hope was exhausted for her humanly, she found a Source that renewed her hope - she heard about Jesus Christ. Not only did she hear, but she believed what she heard. She did not stop there. She took the next step and acted upon her faith by going to where He was and touching Him. When she did, she received the healing she had long sought for.

If you have experienced or known someone going through a long term severe sickness, you know that the physical suffering is only one part of the pain. Emotional and spiritual pain are involved as well. The good news is that God is concerned about our whole person; He can touch us where we hurt - physically, emotionally and spiritually. I believe the woman that Mark 5 tells us about received wholeness for her entire person. Notice what Christ said to her: "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering" (verse 34). As one Bible commentator states it: "Jesus silenced her fear, commended her faith, and sent her away in peace." What a picture of renewed hope!

No doubt some who are reading this are at the point of giving up on seeing a better day because there seems to be no hope. I encourage you to trust God no matter how hopeless things appear on the surface. Touch Him by faith and let Him touch you with His loving power. Let Him heal your hurts, fill you with peace and give you freedom from suffering.