Heading Home

In the chill of the evening, they stroll to the Mount of Olives.

Along the way, Jesus talks to the disciples, preparing them for the coming ordeal, and says, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night.” (Matt. 26:31a NKJV)

Peter stops dead in his tracks, turns to Jesus and declares, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” (Matt. 26:33 NKJV)

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to have you, to sift you like wheat, but I have pleaded in prayer for you that your faith should not completely fail. So when you have repented and turned to Me again, strengthen and build up the faith of your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32 TLB)

Laying His hand firmly on Peter’s shoulder, Jesus continues, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know Me.” (Matt. 26:34 NLT)

Peter, grasping Jesus’ hand and falling at His feet, cries out to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matt. 26:35 NKJV)

As Peter follows so closely that Jesus can detect Peter’s breath, they all leave this scene and enter the garden of Gethsemane, where the events of the evening play out. The soldiers arrive and arrest Jesus. As they lead Him away, Peter follows.

On their way to appear before Caiaphas, the soldiers stop before the assembled chief priests and scribes in the high priest’s courtyard. Peter slips over to join the servants warming themselves by the fire in the courtyard.

Three accusations unfold, followed by three denials.

And then...

...cock-a-doodle-doo!

The words of his precious Lord echo through Peter’s mind and stab him in the heart: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”

The saddest moment of Peter’s life is then exacerbated as the Lord turns and looks at him.

Gasp!

Oh, what a look that must have been. And “Peter went out and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:62 NKJV)

How chilling that crow must have sounded; how grievously Peter’s heart must have pounded.

Was that the end of the crowing? Doesn’t a rooster crow each morning?

Wouldn’t that cock-a-doodle-doo pierce Peter’s ears and heart each dawn as the enemy’s condemnation, a reminder of his failure?

But wait! What was that noise three days later...on resurrection morn? Didn’t the cock crow that daybreak also? Did Peter’s heart change that day?

In the years that followed, did he continue to hear that daily crowing as the enemy’s memento of opposition to his heart’s desire to serve the Lord or as the Lord’s resurrection reveille to rise up out of despair and serve Him?

Does the enemy crow in your ear? What does he bellow at you? Condemnation of your past? How unworthy you are? What a stupid thing you did? You’re a failure? Why would anyone want to hear what you have to say? You’re a lost-cause at business? You’re a terrible spouse or parent?

Or do you hear that triumphant shout of resurrection morn? Telling you that you have victory over your past? That the Lord gives you strength for each task? That you are blessed beyond measure? That you are loved more than you can comprehend? That you are a delight to your heavenly Father’s heart? That you can do all things through Christ?

Does each dawn’s awakening cry encourage you, as “His mercies begin afresh each morning” (Lam. 3:23 NLT)?

Which crow are you listening to...the enemy’s attempts to crow in opposition to all that you do, or the Lord’s resurrection reveille to rise up out of despair and serve Him?

Hope…sometimes stuck in our finite brains as wishful thinking, as a “pie in the sky” kind of thing, but…

…hope is not wishful thinking!

What some others say about hope…

*Love floods us with hope. ~Jareb Teague
*Hope is grief’s best music. ~Author Unknown
*Hope is the physician of each misery. ~Irish Proverb
*Once you choose hope, anything’s possible. ~Christopher Reeve
*Hope is putting faith to work when doubting would be easier. ~Author Unknown
*You’ve gotta have hope. Without hope life is meaningless. Without hope life is meaning less and less. ~Author Unknown
*Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. ~Dale Carnegie
*When you say a situation or a person is hopeless, you’re slamming the door in the face of God. ~Charles L. Allen

So, if hope is not wishful thinking, what is it? It is active participation in trust!

Scripture says, “And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.” (Rom. 5:4 TLB)

How does the dictionary define the word ‘hope’?

Whether as a noun or a verb, it describes ‘hope’ as the feeling or desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment, as that which is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best, a person or thing in which expectations are centered, to expect with confidence, to believe, trust, or rely, or to cherish a desire with anticipation.

How does the New Testament define ‘hope’? Two words are used…

*The first word is a noun, ‘elpis,’ which means expectation whether of good or of ill, rarely in a bad sense, fear; in a good sense: expectation of good, hope; and in the Christian sense, joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation. It is always translated (in the KJ) as ‘hope.’

*The other NT word is a verb, ‘elpizo,’ which comes from ‘elpis,’ meaning to expect, confide, or trust. Many times in the KJ, it is translated as ‘trust.’

Of all the usages of the word ‘hope’ in scripture, most are expressed by Paul. He sprinkled his letters and speeches with phrases of hope, such as:

* “the hope of salvation” (1 Thess. 5:8)
* “in hope of eternal life” (Titus 1:2)
* “the hope of your calling” (Eph 4:4)
* “the hope of righteousness” (Gal. 5:5)
* “the hope which is laid up for you in heaven” (Col. 1:5)
* “the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13)

“The God of hope” (Rom. 15:13) has authored our hope. And Jesus, as Paul said, is the one “on whom we have set our hope” (2 Cor. 1:10), “Christ in you the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).

Many are suffering great challenges right now, extreme health issues, deep financial troubles, devastating grief or loss, and the list goes on.

During dark times of adversity, hope keeps us spiritually alive. It brightens our paths and heightens our awareness of the Lord’s presence.

Have you misplaced your hope, placing it in your finances, job, family, possessions, or spouse? Or have you lost it altogether?

We cannot live without hope. Solomon said, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” (Prov. 13:12 NKJV)

We need to fortify the hope that God has placed within us. David tells us to “Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” (Ps. 31:24 NKJV) Paul also encourages us, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Rom. 5:5 NKJV)

In the last few weeks, I have bumped into numerous people who are writing on hope. I think God must be up to something. Maybe we all need to be filled with hope for whatever is to come.

No matter what may transpire in my life throughout 2010, I will say as David said to the Lord, “But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more,” (Ps. 71:14 NKJV) and pray as he did, “Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope.” (Ps. 119:116 NKJV)

Will you be filled with hope in the New Year?

Father, I ask that You will touch the lives of those reading this and that You will bring renewed hope to reside in their hearts, giving them trust and strength to cling to You whatever may cross their paths in the New Year. Fill their lives with health, peace, protection, prosperity, success, comfort, joy, love, and their hearts’ desires. In Jesus’ name I ask this…amen! So be it!