Waiting with Hope
by Elizabeth Turnage
TODAY’S TREASURE
We too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
Romans 8:23b, ESV
Waiting for hours to buy gas after a hurricane.
Waiting for weeks for workmen’s compensation to authorize a surgery.
Waiting for months to recover from a heart attack.
Waiting for years to have one happy day after the death of a child.
Whenever our stories are shattered by crisis, a season of waiting will likely follow. Waiting can be irritating at a long pharmacy drive-thru line, but in the profound losses of a crisis, it can be agonizing. What does it look like to wait with hope as we grieve our losses?
First we must recognize the difference between earthly hope and biblical hope. Earthly hope focuses on good outcomes in the here and now, or at least the near future. There is nothing wrong with such hope—hoping that the surgery is approved and that the recovery goes smoothly, hoping that the betrayal will sting less tomorrow than it does today. And yet, earthly hope is often limited by our own short-sightedness, our inability to see everything our all-seeing God sees. To all earthly hope, we need to add biblical hope.
Biblical hope, as defined by Dan Allender and Tremper Longman is a “vision of redemption in the midst of decay.”[1] Biblical hope is based on faith, on remembering how God has rescued in the past: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV). Biblical hope focuses on the end of the story, the day when Jesus will return and restore all broken things (Romans 8:18-19). In that day, we will be restored to our Father as his adopted children, and all of creation’s groaning will end in fruitful labor, Christ’s perfected new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
When we wait with biblical hope, we will continue to pray for God’s good gifts on this earth: gas to fuel generators after a hurricane, a sweet memory on a loved one’s death day. Biblical hope leads us to pray, “God, if I don’t get the gas today, help me be patient and trust your provision,” or “If I am sad all day long, be near to me in my grief.” When our earthly hopes are disappointed, biblical hope compels us to look and lean toward the final day when “all things work together for good” in the lives of those who trust God for life and salvation (Romans 8:28).
Dear friends, when the wait feels excruciating, remember that you have evidence that your deepest hopes will not go unfulfilled: Christ has already come to rescue and redeem. Remember what you are waiting for—glory itself! Knowing this, keep hoping with an active imagination, leaning into the future, leaning into God’s loving purposes in our hardest waits.
Prayer
Lord, How long? This is our cry as we wait in impossibly long lines or for seemingly improbable recoveries. Draw our eyes to the horizon, to see Jesus “coming soon” to end our grievous wait. In Jesus’ already-redeeming name. Amen.
Further Encouragement
Read Romans 8:18-30.
Listen to “Spring Is Coming” by Steven Curtis Chapman.
For Reflection
How has waiting felt for you in this crisis? What earthly hopes have been disappointed? How might remembering the end of the biblical Story help you wait with patience?
Excerpt from Recovery to Restoration: 60 Meditations for Finding Peace and Hope in Crisis, by Elizabeth Turnage; used with permission.
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[1] Dan Allender and Tremper Longman III, Cry of the Soul (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1994), 155.
Elizabeth Turnage, writer, story coach, teacher, and the founder of Living Story ministries (www.elizabethturnage.com). She is passionate about helping people learn, live, and love in God’s story of grace. A blogger and the author of three Bible studies published by P&R Publishing, she is a popular conference and retreat speaker. Elizabeth is married to an orthopedic surgeon, Kip Turnage, and they have four adult children, plus three added by marriage. They are also the devoted “parents” of their personal therapy dog, Rosie.
Elizabeth Turnage, author of: The Waiting Room and From Recovery to Restoration
Sharon W. Betters is author of Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness and co-author of Treasures of Faith. She is Director of Resource Development and co-founder of MARKINC.org, a non profit organization that offers help and hope to hurting people. Sharon enjoys quality time with her husband, children, fourteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
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Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.