High Hopes

Last night, when I told my Dad we would hope for the best during his surgery for cancer, he asked me a question. His question was, “What is hope?” Of course, this caused me to ponder an answer. The Scriptures tell us to always be ready to give others a reason for the hope that is within you.

These are some of the things that hope is to me. Hope is trusting that the final outcome is in His hands. Hope is knowing that ultimately that outcome, no matter how it seems at first, will be for my good. Hope is a continual confidence that brings comfort. Hope is a glimmer of light that pierces through the darkest dark. Hope comes in the form of reassuring words, encouraging Scriptures from God’s Word, caring touches, warm smiles, melodious songs, and so many other places.

Troubles and trials seem to be hurling at us each day with full force. Christ reminds us to “take courage, I have overcome the world.” Nothing in this world and nothing that comes at us in this world can overtake us.

The Scriptures are full of hope and promises. Psalm 71 reminds us that “He is our hope.” Psalm 121 says “Our help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.” Hebrews 11 says “faith is surety in what we HOPE for and certainty in what we do not see.”

My hope is built on nothing less that Jesus’ blood and righteousness…
When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand.

During the night, I was awakened with a song on my mind. Ironically, but yet not, it was a song Daddy taught me as a child and we used to sing together. I could not get it off my mind and went back to sleep singing it within my mind. I woke again several times with it ringing in my head. It continued to ring in my head. I sang it in the shower. I whistled it while I dried my hair.
When Daddy woke this morning, I couldn‘t wait to tell him. “Daddy, guess what?” “You know how we were talking about hope last night. Well, guess what song I woke up to during the night, sang in the shower, and continue to whistle and sing. It won’t leave me.”
Daddy replied, “I don’t know. What?”
So, I started to sing it and then suddenly, he and I were singing it together. We even sang a little in the preop area this morning just before they took him back from surgery. So, together we have HIGH HOPES.

Once there was a little old ant
Thought he’d move a rubber tree plant.
Anyone knows an ant can't
Move a rubber tree plant.
But he’s got high hopes, he’s got high hopes
He’s got high apple pie, in the sky hopes.

So any time your feelin’ low
‘stead of letting’ go
Just remember that ant.
Oops there goes another rubber tree plant!

“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:5)