Easter Is Our Source of Hope

By

Robert K. Brown, PhD

President, Star University

“Hope is both the earliest and the most indispensable virtue inherent in the state of being alive. If life is to be sustained hope must remain, even where confidence is wounded, trust impaired.”

(Erik Erikson)

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him.”

(Romans 15:13)

Easter Blessings 2019

Noted psychoanalyst and developmental theorist Erik Erikson, in his writings and research on human psycho-social development, identified hope as the first key foundational characteristic of one’s personality potentially obtained in the first twelve to eighteen months of an infant’s life. As shown in the quote above, Erikson maintained that hope is an “indispensable virtue” vital to “...the state of being alive.”

As Christians, we would concur with Erikson on the vital importance of acquiring and maintaining hope in one's life. In his first letter to the Christians at Corinth (1 Corinthians 13:13), the Apostle Paul wrote that there are three necessary components of life, “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” (New Living Translation) Paul stated that of the three Love is premier because it serves as the motivating force behind the acquisition of hope which is the driving force behind one’s faith. Without hope an individual would not be able to express faith as made clear by the author of the letter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 11:1) where it is stated that, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.” (New Living Translation) In other words, expressions of faith are the outcome(s) of one’s hope(s).

So where does hope come from? In his letter to the Romans (Romans 15:13), Paul describes, in part, what his prayers for these Christians consisted of when he wrote, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (New Living Translation) The apostle identifies God as the source of hope. Yet how do we acquire this hope from God? A look back at a very bleak and seemingly hopeless time in Israel’s history as recorded in the Old Testament book Lamentations gives us an answer to this question. The book of Lamentations was written in response to the inhabitants of Jerusalem being conquered and taken into exile by the Babylonian empire – possibly never to see their homes again. As a result of this exile, the author of Lamentations describes the great grief felt but also identifies the reason there was still hope:

19 The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. 20 I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. 21 Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: 22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. (Lamentations 2:19-23, New Living Translation)

The above passage identifies that the reason to still “...dare to hope...” is found by remembering the “...faithful love of the Lord...”.

Current painful events transpiring on every continent are causing so many to be at risk of losing any hope for peace and happiness much less having faith that things will change for the better in the future. In spite of so many negative happenings in the world, we too must do just as the writer of Lamentations described. We must still dare to have hope by remembering the faithful love of God as expressed through His son Jesus Christ, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, New International Version)

While it should be done each and every day, Easter is a special time to remember the “faithful love of the Lord” -- even in the midst of the pain and grief we may feel. For it is in the realization, acceptance and remembrance of the great sacrificial act of God’s love through the giving of His son Jesus Christ on the cross that our hope and faith in our future can be renewed. It is only through the existence of hope that one can have and express faith that good things will occur in his or her future. Again, it is God that tells us in the writings of Jeremiah that:

11 “...I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13, New Living Translation)

Follow the exhortation of scripture to pray and look for the unfailing love God has for you expressed through the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the above scripture attests, do this during this Easter and you will find God the source of your hope – hope that is vital as Erikson writes to being alive.

Our prayer at Star University is that you will be greatly blessed this Easter as you have your hope renewed in God and in His great love for you.