The world we live in pulses with a rhythmic hope, the belief that tomorrow can be better than yesterday and today. We see evidence all around that things are changing – new technologies arise, medical discoveries provide cures, even improved recipes yield better homemade treats. It feels like we’re going somewhere.
Moreover, we share an underlying longing for that “somewhere” to be good. We hope the road ahead leads to blessing. This aspiration permeates our lives, from lofty dreams down to the simple wish that our drive to Grandma’s won’t hit traffic.
Yet biblical hope differs substantially from much of our “wishful thinking.” Human hopes tend to vanish like smoke, more desire than expectation. By contrast, biblical hope stands firm on the unshakable rock of God’s faithfulness. As Lamentations says, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning” (3:22-23).
We witness this superior hope in Genesis 21, where Abraham and Sarah finally have the child God had been promising for decades. Three crucial facets of biblical hope shine through their story:
Hope builds squarely on the foundation of God’s past actions.
The text explicitly frames Isaac’s birth as the Lord visiting Sarah and doing for her what He promised. The emphasis leaves no room for this to be a fluke of nature; it stems from the Word of the Lord. We often fail to acknowledge God’s works in our lives, instinctively dismissing the miraculous. Yet real hope starts by intentionally remembering what He has done before.
Hope compels present obedience.
Upon Isaac’s birth, Abraham immediately names and circumcises him, just as God commanded long prior. True hope always impacts how we live today. Wishful thinking produces no action, while biblical hope activates our faith.
Hope creates genuine confidence for the future.
Sarah declares that her laughter now stems from joy, rather than disbelief, and that many others will laugh with delight when they hear of Isaac’s birth. She can look expectantly to the days ahead, not just wishfully. Her confidence rises fully from remembering the God who does the impossible.
In this Advent season, as we celebrate our Savior’s long-awaited coming, we can embrace this same vibrant hope:
- Firstly, for salvation – we have seen Jesus rescue people from darkness, and know He came to seek and save the lost.
- Secondly, for provision – if God gave His own Son for us, how will He not also generously supply our needs?
- Thirdly, for reconciliation – no brokenness proves too heavy for Christ’s healing redemption.
Like Abraham and Sarah, may we place firm, obedient hope in the God of the impossible this Christmas. When we remember what He has done, how can we not laugh with joyful confidence in the future He prepares?
This devotion is based on a sermon given by Dr. Christopher Stapper at Third Coast Church in Corpus Christi, TX on November 26, 2023.