Imagine for a moment you’re camping in the Umpqua National Forest in southern Oregon. You’ve enjoyed a fabulous day of hiking, and now brilliant stars light up the clear sky. As you snuggle into your sleeping bag, suddenly you hear a snuffling among the trees. A huge shadow falls across the walls of your tent, as if something is slowly moving toward you. At such a moment, positive thinking can do a lot to relieve your fear. You might remind yourself that bears generally steer clear of human campsites. Or that bears are generally afraid of humans. Or that the park ranger said he might stop by later that evening. On the other hand, “Late Night Snack” might be tattooed across your forehead! In which case, you don’t need positive thinking; you need courage.
Hope builds courage in human hearts, not by denying reality, but through banking on absolute certainty. When you place your hope in the trustworthy promises of God, nothing can ultimately shake you. When the apostle Paul talked about the certainty of heaven, he said, “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you.” Hope gives us courage that the world so desperately needs in these dark and scary times. Stand firm! Have courage! And share your hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is Luis Palau.