Unwavering Hope

By Deb Marsalisi

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”—Hebrews 10:23 (NKJV)

I love a good power verse. Don’t get me wrong, all verses are worthy of this title, but some just really spark encouragement and determination in a believer. Hebrews 10:23 falls into that category for me. It’s one of those Scriptures we can memorize to help us stand firmly grounded in our faith. Let’s look more closely at this exhortation.

We’ll start with the simple phrase, “Let us,” which addresses us as a family. One of humanity’s deepest longings is to experience a sense of belonging. Through salvation, we’re adopted into the family of God. Christians all over the globe partake in the covenant of grace. We get a family to walk by faith with. Being in community with other believers allows us to be spiritually stimulated and provides a sense of belonging.

Next we read, “Hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.” Do you ever see a phrase in the Bible and think that sounds good, but what does it really mean? What does it mean to hold fast? Holding fast is a phrase that means to cling or anchor ourselves to something. When we hold fast to something, we refuse to stop believing in it—something such as a theory or a principle, and in this case our faith.

This verse of encouragement was written to Jewish Christians under persecution. It’s the ultimate expression of unwavering spiritual perseverance. When we can hold in our hands the very key to life, the gospel of Jesus Christ, why would we ever let it go? We can echo the same words as the apostle Peter when he said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life” (John 6:68 NKJV). Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, His burial and His resurrection, is our confession of hope. Because of Jesus’s gracious offer of forgiveness, our eternity in heaven has been secured.

The word hope deserves a bit more attention. Language tends to change over time depending on cultural and societal norms. Biblical hope is so vastly different from the hope the world has to offer. The world's hope is more like an unsatisfied desire for something. Worldly hope is wishful thinking. For instance, we might say, “I hope this person comes through for me.” Or, “I really hope I get that promotion at work.” There’s not a whole lot of confidence in those statements. In contrast, biblical hope is free of doubt. It’s full of confidence that the Lord will deliver on His promises, despite what we see with our eyes. The very object of biblical hope is Jesus Christ Himself. We’re being encouraged to securely anchor ourselves to His faithful character, His love for us, and His plan of salvation.

And finally, the verse ends with, “For He who promised is faithful.” Not only do we see God’s consistent faithfulness throughout the Bible, but we have our own personal examples to cling to.We can rest in unwavering hope in our Savior Jesus, as He is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore (Hebrews 13:8).

Pause: Have you ever considered the way you’ve used the word hope?

Practice: Grab a journal and write today’s verse on the top of the page. Then spend time recording all the ways Jesus has shown His faithfulness to you.

Pray: Dear Lord, Your Word says hope in You is an anchor for my soul (Hebrews 6:19). You hold my life in the palm of Your hands. You are faithful in all Your ways. Please help me to hold fast to You and Your promises of hope. Amen.