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Bible Project Video – YAKHAL: “HOPE”

I’ve got another video for you today from The Bible Project that offers a great explanation of Biblical Hope. The one thing that really clicked for me in this video is that optimism is choosing to see that things could work out for the best. Biblical hope on the other hand isn’t focused on circumstances. Even when you recognize that there’s no evidence that things will get better, you choose hope anyway. click here to watch it on YouTube.

When I think of hope, I’m reminded of a lighthouse, and how it safely guides a sailor home. As long as the captain keeps his eye on the light, he’ll find his way through the darkest night. In much the same way, there’s a guiding light that points the way to our destination, no matter how difficult the journey may seem.

In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul emphasizes the importance of staying focused on the goal ahead when he says, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

You see, Paul isn’t just telling us to focus on the goal ahead here, he’s giving us a strategy for hope. The idea here is an active determination to reach the finish line. When Paul tells us to forget what’s behind us, he’s highlighting the need to let go the things that might keep us from moving forward.

Here’s the thing about running—every fraction of a second counts. If you look back or hesitate for even a moment, it can cost you the race. In the same way, holding onto our past can hinder our spiritual growth.

What we leave behind will be different for every one of us, just as it was for the faithful believers who have gone on before us: 

• Ruth left behind her homeland and family in Moab to embrace a new life and faith in Israel.
• Abraham left the familiarity of his home in Ur to journey into an unknown land as God directed.
• Joseph let go of resentment and embraced forgiveness, moving beyond his past as a slave and prisoner.
• Moses left behind the luxury and safety of Pharaoh’s palace, choosing instead to lead his people towards freedom and the promised land.
• Mary surrendered her reputation and embraced an uncertain future to raise Jesus as her son.
• Esther risked her royal security to intervene and save her people from destruction.
• The disciples forsook their careers and the life they knew to follow Jesus’s calling.
• Paul cast away his former life of persecuting Christians to become an apostle and proclaimer of the Gospel.

 Every one of these people looked forward to what was ahead.

If Jesus looked back, He would have seen the comfort and safety of a conventional life, and if He was looking to the side, He might have been tempted by the immediate but fleeting satisfaction of earthly pleasures and approval. Instead, He remained focused on the mission ahead, illustrating the essence of hope that guides and propels us forward.

And so, I challenge you today to consider what might be slowing you down. Are there any patterns of thinking or behaving that are keeping you from experiencing the fullness of life in Christ? Are you concerned with what others might think? Are you holding on to past regrets or unforgiveness? Holding on to the past can be as simple as wallowing in self-pity. It can manifest in a reluctance to forgive or in the habit of revisiting old wounds instead of seeking healing and growth. Prayerfully consider what might be holding you back, ask God to help you move past it, and focus on the hope set before you.

This Week’s Printable

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