Unboxed: Unshakeable Hope

Advent is a season of expectation and anticipation as we prepare to celebrate Christmas. The focus of this first week is hope. Often, when we use the word, "hope" it carries a sense of "optimistic doubt." We say, "I hope so!" or we'll make plans and express, "Hopefully it won't rain tomorrow." While we use the word "hope" as a synonym for "what we desire to happen", biblical hope is not wishful thinking.

In the context of scripture, "hope" is confident trust, a sense of surety. This hope has the ability to shape our perspective in life. This trust is not based on an outcome, but is placed in the One who holds all outcomes together. When we find ourselves putting hope in our desired outcome, we've misplaced our hope and have set ourselves up for disappointment and discouragement. 

Like Mary's trusting response to Gabriel's announcement of God's plan of redemption that included her, we too have unshakeable hope available to us. Not because of who we are, but because of who God is! Hope comes from Him.