Misplaced Hope
I must confess to having a certain piece of furniture in my possession whose very name conjures up sentimentality, romance, and the desires of a young girl’s heart. Sentimentality because it was made by my father, romance because of the things contained therein, and desire because of the purpose for which this item was created. I speak of the conspicuous (and lovely) piece known as “the Hope Chest.” I know I am not alone in the possession of a hope chest; many of my girlfriends have been likewise blessed.
I received my hope chest from my parents (having been lovingly crafted by my father) at my high school graduation, not too far past my 18th birthday. I had been saving items for such a chest for a few months, but now that I actually had a chest in which to store them I began in earnest to seek for such things as I thought could be useful. Kitchen supplies, children’s toys and books, ornaments, decorations… all of those and more were lovingly placed within the confines of those four chest walls with the hope that someday (not many days hence) those items would be gloriously placed in a home of my own. Such was the hope of the “hope chest”—to collect items of heirloom or practical quality to be used in my own home… a home filled with a husband’s love and children’s laughter. One needed only to open the lid and the hopes of marriage and children would fairly burst out of its cedar sides.
However, as the years have passed, the excitement to purchase or make things for the hope chest diminished as the hope of marriage decreased. I found myself irritated witht eh sight of the hope chest, as if somehow it had betrayed the hopes and dreams placed therein. It seemed unjust to have that chest sit in my presence, as if mocking the hopes it held. Even worse came the day when I unpacked several things in the chest to be moved, not to my newly-wed home, but my single-adult house. Now this, I thought, was the epitome of unfairness—the things in the chest were “sacred”, only to be opened after marriage, and here I was, opening the chest to move into a house by myself!
This had been my attitude toward the chest and the dreams it represents. That is, until I looked at my hope chest from God’s point of view. Psalm 73:7 says, “That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.” Psalm 42:11 says, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” Hebrews says that faith is the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The question that must then be asked, “Where is my hope?” Scripture admonishes the child of God to put his or her hope, not in things, but in the Lord God Jehovah. Why in Him? Because He alone can satisfy the longings of the soul! Only He can fill the aching void that resides in the soul of every human being! The book of Job contrasts the hope of the man without God and the hope of man trusting in God. The end of man who hopes in himself or in the world comes to desolation, while the man who puts in his trust in God will never be confounded.
What does it mean to “hope in God”? At the risk of sounding simplistic, it is to place one’s life and dreams completely in the hands of God. It is to say that nothing or no one is more important in one’s life than God Himself. It is to lay all dreams, “hopes”, and ambitions at His feet at know that He, the Sovereign One, will perfect that which is good concerning me. This also means all of the “hopes” and dreams previously stored in a cedar chest, where they were gathering spiritual mothballs.
To my chagrin, I discovered that I had placed my hopes in the cedar chest, instead of placing them squarely in to the lovely hands of God, where they belonged all the time. Is it wrong to hope for marriage, a home, and children? I would say not. It is wrong, however, to place one’s entire hope and future in such things and miss the amazing blessing of intimately knowing the God Who authored the dreams. A hope placed merely in the things stored in a hope chest is a misplaced hope—it brings neither contentment nor joy to the heart. A hope stored in a hope chest will grow old and stale and yield the fruit of bitterness as years of unfulfilled hopes drag on. A hope placed in a hope chest provides neither warmth nor comfort. But, a hope placed in God?! A hope placed in God yields a “meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” A hope placed in God yields to His will and finds that His will is the sweetest calling on earth. A hope placed in God yields a joy and contentment that leaves the world scratching its head in wonderment. A hope placed in God knows His heartbeat, and knows Him in an intimate way that would otherwise have been impossible. Human will disappoint, dreams will fail, but God—God will never change! A hope placed in Him is immovable, because He is immutable!
Another aspect to placing one’s hope in God instead of in fleeting earthly hopes and dreams is that of gratitude. An individual who has placed their hopes in fleeting things will become discontented with God’s plan for their life and will begin to think that somehow, someway, life has not gone as planned. Instead, it is better to look at the marvelous things that God HAS given, instead of the things which He has seemingly “withheld.” God has not only saved me by His grace, but He is keeping me by grace and helping me to become more like Him! He has given me many earthly blessings, even though there are unfulfilled hopes. A heart that hopes in God is a grateful heart!
By God’s grace, I have unpacked those hopes and dreams from the hope chest and placed them in the hands of their Author. To do so is liberating; a hope placed in God is a hope that cannot be shaken! I would also like to issue a challenge to those with hope chests. Please, please, do not save the lovely things you have collected merely for that sacred day of marriage. As God gives you opportunity, take them out and USE THEM to bless others! IT may be that one day you will have the joy of using them in your own home, but until then, your fine things can bless others. After I unpacked several “hope chest” items and took them to my single-adult home, I discovered the unique joy of using those things to bless others through hospitality. It is a thrill to unpack fine china, decorative bowls, and unique cooking utensils and turn an otherwise ordinary event into something special. Share what God has given you in your hope chest; if your hope is truly in God, you will hope those hope chest items with joyful, open hands and relish opportunities to serve God!
“My hope is in the Lord, who gave Himself for me, and paid the price of all my sin at Calvary!”
alc
I received my hope chest from my parents (having been lovingly crafted by my father) at my high school graduation, not too far past my 18th birthday. I had been saving items for such a chest for a few months, but now that I actually had a chest in which to store them I began in earnest to seek for such things as I thought could be useful. Kitchen supplies, children’s toys and books, ornaments, decorations… all of those and more were lovingly placed within the confines of those four chest walls with the hope that someday (not many days hence) those items would be gloriously placed in a home of my own. Such was the hope of the “hope chest”—to collect items of heirloom or practical quality to be used in my own home… a home filled with a husband’s love and children’s laughter. One needed only to open the lid and the hopes of marriage and children would fairly burst out of its cedar sides.
However, as the years have passed, the excitement to purchase or make things for the hope chest diminished as the hope of marriage decreased. I found myself irritated witht eh sight of the hope chest, as if somehow it had betrayed the hopes and dreams placed therein. It seemed unjust to have that chest sit in my presence, as if mocking the hopes it held. Even worse came the day when I unpacked several things in the chest to be moved, not to my newly-wed home, but my single-adult house. Now this, I thought, was the epitome of unfairness—the things in the chest were “sacred”, only to be opened after marriage, and here I was, opening the chest to move into a house by myself!
This had been my attitude toward the chest and the dreams it represents. That is, until I looked at my hope chest from God’s point of view. Psalm 73:7 says, “That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.” Psalm 42:11 says, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” Hebrews says that faith is the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The question that must then be asked, “Where is my hope?” Scripture admonishes the child of God to put his or her hope, not in things, but in the Lord God Jehovah. Why in Him? Because He alone can satisfy the longings of the soul! Only He can fill the aching void that resides in the soul of every human being! The book of Job contrasts the hope of the man without God and the hope of man trusting in God. The end of man who hopes in himself or in the world comes to desolation, while the man who puts in his trust in God will never be confounded.
What does it mean to “hope in God”? At the risk of sounding simplistic, it is to place one’s life and dreams completely in the hands of God. It is to say that nothing or no one is more important in one’s life than God Himself. It is to lay all dreams, “hopes”, and ambitions at His feet at know that He, the Sovereign One, will perfect that which is good concerning me. This also means all of the “hopes” and dreams previously stored in a cedar chest, where they were gathering spiritual mothballs.
To my chagrin, I discovered that I had placed my hopes in the cedar chest, instead of placing them squarely in to the lovely hands of God, where they belonged all the time. Is it wrong to hope for marriage, a home, and children? I would say not. It is wrong, however, to place one’s entire hope and future in such things and miss the amazing blessing of intimately knowing the God Who authored the dreams. A hope placed merely in the things stored in a hope chest is a misplaced hope—it brings neither contentment nor joy to the heart. A hope stored in a hope chest will grow old and stale and yield the fruit of bitterness as years of unfulfilled hopes drag on. A hope placed in a hope chest provides neither warmth nor comfort. But, a hope placed in God?! A hope placed in God yields a “meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” A hope placed in God yields to His will and finds that His will is the sweetest calling on earth. A hope placed in God yields a joy and contentment that leaves the world scratching its head in wonderment. A hope placed in God knows His heartbeat, and knows Him in an intimate way that would otherwise have been impossible. Human will disappoint, dreams will fail, but God—God will never change! A hope placed in Him is immovable, because He is immutable!
Another aspect to placing one’s hope in God instead of in fleeting earthly hopes and dreams is that of gratitude. An individual who has placed their hopes in fleeting things will become discontented with God’s plan for their life and will begin to think that somehow, someway, life has not gone as planned. Instead, it is better to look at the marvelous things that God HAS given, instead of the things which He has seemingly “withheld.” God has not only saved me by His grace, but He is keeping me by grace and helping me to become more like Him! He has given me many earthly blessings, even though there are unfulfilled hopes. A heart that hopes in God is a grateful heart!
By God’s grace, I have unpacked those hopes and dreams from the hope chest and placed them in the hands of their Author. To do so is liberating; a hope placed in God is a hope that cannot be shaken! I would also like to issue a challenge to those with hope chests. Please, please, do not save the lovely things you have collected merely for that sacred day of marriage. As God gives you opportunity, take them out and USE THEM to bless others! IT may be that one day you will have the joy of using them in your own home, but until then, your fine things can bless others. After I unpacked several “hope chest” items and took them to my single-adult home, I discovered the unique joy of using those things to bless others through hospitality. It is a thrill to unpack fine china, decorative bowls, and unique cooking utensils and turn an otherwise ordinary event into something special. Share what God has given you in your hope chest; if your hope is truly in God, you will hope those hope chest items with joyful, open hands and relish opportunities to serve God!
“My hope is in the Lord, who gave Himself for me, and paid the price of all my sin at Calvary!”
alc
posted by Chanda Panda | 17:44
1 Comments:
Loved this Ashley. God has already used this in my Kaylah's life. You have given wisdom to a younger woman even though you are not that much older than she is.
Keep on writing. God has given you a gift.
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