Hold fast to the hope we profess

What does it mean to hold on to hope?

On one level, we hope that we can make our flight on time. We hope that we can meet that deadline our supervisor at work established. We hope that when we get on the scales, we will be down a few pounds. We hope that maybe next year, the boss will decide to give everyone a raise. We hope we can pay next month’s bills.

On a deeper level, we hope that our granddaughter will make the drive home safely from college. We hope our sister will call us when her flight lands. We hope our child will report that he made a “B” on that test he was so worried about. We hope that 2 a.m. phone call is just a fluke and not bad news.

But when it comes to the catastrophes of life and there is not much evidence that things will get better, what does “holding on to hope mean?”

The writer of Hebrews told his readers: “Let us hold fast to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

“Hold fast” is a term that has been around for many, many years. My research led me to discover that “hold fast” is an old nautical term. Long ago, sailors spelled out these letters on the four front-facing fingers on each hand to make the words: “HOLD FAST.”

Their hope was that these words would bring them good luck while gripping the massive rigging of the ship. They knew they had to hold fast to the ropes even though the winds were ferociously blowing and the boat was even rocking and pitching with the ocean waters. Holding fast meant that no matter the circumstances, the sailor was not going to let the big rigging go. Their grip made the difference.

So maybe when the writer of Hebrews wrote, “Let us hold fast to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful,” (Hebrews 10:23) he was giving us an insight to when life’s circumstances get so complicated, so heart wrenching, so poignant, and so debilitating, that we as Christians still are instructed to hold on to hope, our hope in the unwavering promises of Jesus Christ.

I have found over these last few months since John Scott, our son, went home to be with the Lord, that faith produces hope, and hope renews our faith. What has led me to this discovery?

While I am holding on to the hope I have, people unknown to me stop me and tell me they have been praying for our family.

Notes from folks in other cities, whom I do not even know, but who have known of our situation, have written to us with uplifting letters. They tell us they are praying for us.

Gifts on our porch, gifts of love, sincere thoughts of caring, have surprised us from time to time when we would return home.

Unexpected visitors, people I may not have seen in months, stop by and tell us they are praying for us.

Comforting words, kind deeds, fervent prayers on our behalf from others, supportive friends and strangers alike have fueled our hope during these past few months and those kindnesses have renewed our faith.

What other Bible references refer to holding on to hope? Hebrews 3:6 reads: “But Christ was faithful as a Son over his house — whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.” This denotes God living in us, standing firm in him, holding steadfastly to the faith, thus having this assurance to the end.

So what do we hold on to? While we grip the mighty rigging and difficult ropes of this life, our intense holding on is the result of “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Now, as a family, we are even more certain of God’s love, his caring and his eternal purposes for us. We have full confidence and KNOW that we will see John Scott again. That is a marvelous hope.

Judy Brandon writes about faith for The Eastern New Mexico News. Contact her at: [email protected]