Whos, Whats, Wheres, and Lies

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil.
Hebrews 6:19

Still studying alongside friends at Bible Study Hub and Katie Orr as we work through week 3 of Everyday Hope, a FOCUSed15 study. We've FOCUSed this week on hope being our anchor.

And it is. It is certain and can be trusted.

What about that word "hope"? I mentioned last week that hope is a noun, it is not something we do. The way we use the word hope in our typical thinking and conversation is not really biblical hope, so I think we often are confused with the concept of hope. We treat hope as if it's something that can or can't happen, like "I hope it doesn't snow on Saturday." It may snow Saturday, it may not, we don't really know. It's more like wishing. But this biblical hope is something of which we can be certain. I was so surprised to find out the meaning of the word hope as it is used in verse 19.

hope = "hos" a pronoun meaning who, which, what, that.

Your hope, sweet friend is a WHO. Your hope is also a WHAT. Let's stick that verse back in with the ones surrounding it.

In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6:17-20

What is our hope? His purpose or plan for us, which is eternal life together with Him. Who is our hope? Jesus.

Your hope has a WHERE too.

...one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us.

Where is your hope? Within the veil. When something enters within the veil, it enters into the Holy of Holies, the place where His very presence dwells. Presence. His presence in my everyday and His presence for all eternity. That is WHERE our hope is - in His presence.

We've discovered the WHO, the WHAT, and the WHERE, now let's uncover the LIE.

We may "feel" hopeless sometimes, but we are NOT hopeless. Hopelessness in itself is a lie and that is why we need to understand what hope really is. Our hope in Christ is sure and steadfast. We cannot be separated from Him and our eternity with Him cannot be taken away. To be "HOPE-LESS" would be to be without Him and without life forever with Him.

Hopelessness just cannot be.

Hope is something I have and Someone I hold to, eternal life and Jesus. I cannot be severed from them, so there is no such thing as hopelessness for me as a Christian.

Just because we feel hopeless doesn't mean we are. Remember, feelings aren't always based on truth and cannot always be trusted. Hopelessness is one of those feelings we simply cannot trust.

Hopelessness is a lie.

Danna Demetrie on Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk said this about feelings this week:

That which we focus on most is what influences our emotions and behavior. Feelings and emotions are a result of our thinking. Feelings are RESPONDERS TO OUR THOUGHTS; therefore, change my thoughts and the feelings will follow and behavior will follow.

This is why it is so important that we renew our minds as we are instructed to do in Romans 12:2. This is the only way our feelings and behavior will ever be transformed. Renewing our mind with His truth is where we start, and the truth is we are NOT without Hope, because we are not without Christ. That is where we should focus.

We can try to anchor our hope in many things, and often we unknowingly throw our anchors toward how we feel. That is not solid ground, and an anchor won't hold there. I can place my hope in my bank account, my job, my accomplishments, my family, my spouse, my health, but none of those are sure and steadfast either. None of those are within the veil. None of those are anchored in His presence, where Jesus entered on my behalf.

I want my anchor of hope to be on the solid steadfast immovable ground of His very presence.

The only solid ground is within the veil.

Anchored to His Presence - everyday. Hope-FULL.

XOXO

For more on hope, visit Katie's link up here.