Hope (re)defined

The Greek word elpis occurs eighty times in the New Testament and every time is translated hope. Unfortunately, the biblical concept of hope is very poorly served by our English word. Our English word for hope often connotes uncertainty - I hope I get that promotion, I hope the car doesn’t break down, a guy can only hope, etc. But the biblical definition of hope is a life-shaping certainty of something that hasn’t happened yet, but you know it will.

One of my favorite scenes in the Lord of the Rings films comes at the end of The Two Towers at the Battle of Helm’s Deep. The walls have been breached, the Rohirrim have been fighting all night long and the king and his people have lost all hope. But Aragorn refuses to give in and, remembering the resurrected Gandalf's promise to return, he takes the remaining army on one last ride against the enemy. And as the first rays of dawn fall down into the valley, up on the eastern hill Gandalf appears. 

But notice that even before Gandalf and his reinforcements begin their charge, hope is restored and Aragorn and his men are immediately reinvigorated for battle. Why? Imagine, you are fighting for your life, but losing, and suddenly you hear the sound of the reinforcements that you’ve been waiting for. Reinforcements you know will win the battle. And even though they haven’t arrived yet, your arm is already stronger; your heart is already braver.

The anticipation changes you.
Hope transforms you.
You are connecting to the future.

Human beings are irreducibly hope-based creatures. We are shaped now by our believed in future. It’s not your circumstances that actually make you feel the way you feel. It’s not your circumstances that actually affect the way you live. It’s your believed in future that completely determines how you process and how you respond to your circumstances.

The real life-changing dynamic of Christianity is an experience now of the presence of the future.

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.
- Ralph Von Williams 

 

Comments

[Chilly]

Paul,
This is SO good! We speak a lot about HOPE here in Detroit - our church website is: http://Hope4Detroit.com - this post gives great insight & exciting clarity! Thanks!

I love:
The anticipation changes you.
Hope transforms you.
You are connecting to the future.