Hope is like the whispered voice of clarity heard through the cacophony of hurt.
It is the shimmering thread that glistens in the dark caves of despair.
Hope is like a drop of cool liquid on lips parched by the drought of failure.
It is like a secure hand reaching to rescue a dying dream.
Hope is the exquisite assurance that God’s finger never lifts from our lives….
At the beginning of my husband, Gary’s, prolonged cancer journey, the scripture we held fast to is Psalm 71:14, “But as for me, I will always have HOPE. I will praise Him more and more.”
The stress of six months at the University of Virginia Hospital and countless unforeseen crises could easily have swamped us. We learned early on that praying just wasn’t enough. Praise was the key.
The genesis of every morning was praise. Praise music played 24 hours a day in that intensive care unit. And that praise not only lifted our spirits, but it infused LIFE into the HOPE that we so desperately needed. I had not idea what was going to happen to Gary. In fact, I felt sure he was going to die. But as the days turned into weeks and then months, Hope became our life line.
So where does hope come from in the midst of a seeming hopeless place? Does it spring from spiritual maturity? Is it grounded in a positive outlook or encouraging words from others? Not really. Hope, like every good gift, is from God. Psalm 62:5, “Find rest, o my soul, in God alone; my HOPE comes from Him.”
Looking at Gary’s wounded, comatose body, I felt dwarfed by the enormity of his condition. I could never have manufactured enough hope to sustain me for even one day, much less for six months. But, gratefully, I didn’t have to . The God of ALL hope lives inside me. His presence ministered hope to my spirit. That hope became the inexorable result of God’s indwelling spirit because He is hope.
Hope is like blinded eyes awakening to a world of color…..
~ Vickey Richey
Christ Fellowship member
