Living Hope Has Risen

God … in His great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3 NAS)

The culmination of God’s master plan of salvation is celebrated at Easter. He fathered His people through the ages, never forsaking His heart’s desire to form a human family to love and share in His heavenly riches. God rescued us from misery and the captivity of our own sin and selfishness through the death and resurrection of His Son. By His great mercy He offered us new birth and delivered us to living hope, Jesus. “… Christ in you, the hope for glory.” (Colossians 1:27) “… of Christ Jesus our hope.” (1 Timothy 1:1)

Hebrews 6:19 offers an analogy for hope: “This hope we have as an anchor for the soul.” An anchor is described as a shaped iron weight lowered by cable or chain to the bottom of water to keep ships from drifting, essentially tying it to a foundation, linking it to a source of stability. While traveling through an unstable world, Jesus is that anchor, the source of stability, the Living Hope that arose on Easter morn.

The new birth introduces us to Living Hope, Jesus. But the key to victorious Christian living is staying connected. Amidst uncertainty and stormy seas, it’s time to drop anchor and connect to the source of hope. It produces peace and serene expectation of good. It looks to the future and away from present circumstance. It propels us forward because of the perseverance and steadfastness that comes with hope.

Living Hope has risen, the message of Easter! —Karen Pourbabaee

Dear Jesus … Be my anchor in this turbulent world. Amen.