ABOUND IN HOPE
What do you see on the cover of the Words of Hope book? The focus is on an ANCHOR.
Since the earth abounds with water (71% and five great oceans), we need ships with anchors if we are going to travel the world. Anchors are salutary devices. They equip for the voyage. They prevent catastrophes.
Without an anchor, ships are in serious jeopardy. I know. I experienced this when I returned home from Alaska as an 18-year-old boy on a 56-foot fishing boat. It was battered by 25-foot waves, pushing the bow skyward. Immediately the skipper ordered the large anchor to be dropped as far down as the heavy chain allowed. This saved us from flipping backward and, in reality, saved our lives. It was our only hope.
No wonder hope is called the anchor of our souls. It is firm and secure (Hebrews 6:19). Without hope, the heart becomes discouraged and depressed. Steal our hope and life loses meaning. Solomon wisely said, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.”
Later St. Paul wrote about faith, hope, and love, saying love was the greatest. However, hope has a critical role in binding itself to the rope of faith. Then the kite of love can soar beautifully in, through and out of our lives. To the glory of God’s son Jesus, we will be giving light to our darkened world. We will abound in hope because God is faithful and trustworthy (Hebrews 10:23).
