Hope on the Front Porch

A few weeks ago, one of my children was having a few difficult weeks. It all came to a head on one particular day leaving me heartbroken for them. With 4 teens and tweens in the house, I am finding that struggles look differently in this phase of life and not as easy to “fix” as they were when they were all four 5 and under! As I dropped this child off on this certain day, I pulled away in tears of my own, trying to parent the best I knew how and asking God to help us in this situation. This child was on my mind and heart all day as I had conversations with the Lord… many times explaining how I thought He could help. 😉

Later that same evening, I went out to the front porch to discover a gift bag and a card for that same child of mine. A friend of mine also had my child on her mind that day and knew nothing of the struggles we had that morning, but felt like God led her to leave a little gift. It was that little gift, given at just the right time that was not only a gift, but hope left on our porch. God reminded us that He sees and knows every situation and uses sweet friends to be his hands and feet to deliver hope when we need it.

Over the past few months, God has used others to send, give, or text, deliver hope at the perfect moment. Just when our family needs a reminder, a friend has texted or sent something our way to remind us that God sees and knows. They have been His hands and feet in the most tangible ways. We are several months in to a long term illness with another one of my children and I have struggled with hope. Biblical hope is a confident expectation of what God has promised. I have admitted to the Lord that my hope has taken the course of a winding rollercoaster, sure and steadfast one minute and then weak and frail the next. I have often lacked hope’s confidence in my heart as we have fought for and struggled to get my child the help they need. I see now that when my hope is fixed on a doctor, and appointment, or a diagnosis, I will be tossed around like a tiny sailboat with no anchor. This is not the hope that God intended for us as believers when he said in Hebrews 6:19, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” “This hope” is hope not based on people or circumstances, but based on the God of Hope. Romans 15:13

“Biblical hope not only desires something good for the future- it expects it to happen.” (John Piper) This expectation comes from looking to God’s past faithfulness to give us hope for the future. I must choose to boss my mind and heart around and remind myself that God has always kept his promises and he will continue to do so.

We hear the word “hope” often associated with Christmas. God’s people were in a much more desperate situation that I have been in with my family. They were waiting for hundreds of years after the promise of a Messiah and I imagine were possibly losing the confidence in their hope. (or at least I would have!) In just the right moment and in the perfect way, God delivered hope, not to a porch, but in a barn. This hope, the gift of Jesus, reminded all of humanity that God is faithful and He does keep his promises. He would offer a way of salvation for anyone who would believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6

As we enter Christmas week, we have the unique opportunity to offer hope to the world around us. This crazy 2020 year has gotten blamed for any and everything bad that happens, but this backdrop of darkness allows for the hope of Jesus to shine even brighter. There is hope that supersedes all of the circumstances of this year or any other. There is hope that promises abundant and eternal life to those who will believe. (Romans 10:13) God can use you as a delivery person for this kind of hope-hope of God’s future faithfulness based on His past faithfulness. If you are willing, ask God how you can deliver hope- to a porch, through a text, through the mail, etc. This Christmas, have hope and share hope in those dark places where God points you.

Merry Christmas! Hope has come!

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