Attributes of Love by MOPS InternationalSample

Love Hopes

It is easy these days to lose hope. We are surrounded on all sides by hatred, despair, injustice, illness, controversy, and political unrest. We are asked to take a stand, post comments, and make statements on behalf of others, all while trying to navigate our own feelings about all the things. Our hearts and minds are heavy and we grow weary as we wait for things to change. But love hopes all things. Love believes in hope because our hope is not in our circumstance; it is in Jesus who is love.

The Greek word for hope is from elpidzō, meaning to hope or wait for salvation with joy and full confidence. This word, hope, is more than an expressed desire. It is not the kind of hope that keeps our fingers crossed for an outcome or says, “I hope my daughter makes the team” or “I hope we get there in time.” This hope is certain.

Hope is not only connected to our faith in Jesus but reminds us of who He is to us. The hope within us is Christ Himself. Faith, hope and love are connected throughout Scripture as a reminder of the assurance we have in Christ. First Timothy 4:10 says,…we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people. (ESV)

Love hopes all things. Love, together with hope, does not allow discouragement, disappointment ,or even failure to have the final word. It does not ignore reality but believes that anything is possible with God because of the hope we have in Jesus. Hope looks forward with expectancy, knowing what is happening now is not the end of the story.

When my brother-in-law was diagnosed with terminal cancer nearly four years ago, as a family we chose to hope for all things. With hope we have gathered weekly to pray, and over these last several years we have seen God love our family. We have seen Him increase our hope in His love for us. We have seen Him give strength in our weariness and we have seen Him move in the lives of others. We have seen His goodness as we have held on to the hope that is Jesus. Holding on to hope may not change the outcome, but it has changed each of us.

These two things – love and hope –are connected because of Jesus. He is love and He is hope. His death and resurrection give us assurance of things to come and compel us to live in hope so others can see Jesus in us. Because we have this hope in Jesus, we are compelled to love others, treat them with kindness, and hope all things for them and with them. This love means we never give up, always believe the best, and encourage each other to be more like Jesus.

This love gives us a hopeful heart and assurance of better days ahead. Love hopes all things. Wherever there is love, there is hope.

Consider this:

Are you waiting in hope for something or someone? How is it changing you?