“Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore” (Psalm 131:3).

“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God“ (Psalm 146:5).

All of us long for hope. It’s in our very being to hope.

• An infant longs for his/her mother’s milk.
• A sports club longs for championship success.
• An injured athlete longs for full recovery.
• A disease-plagued body longs for healing.
• A transgressor longs for mercy.
• Cities and countries long for an end to violence.
• Societies long for an end to injustice.
• A father longs for his prodigal son’s return.

Hope sure is a real longing and a deep need. And it needs to show up. Without hope, our dreams die and our fears grow. Our hopes need a home, a life-giving residence. Where do we find hope? How do we find it?

Here are four principles to build your hope a home:

1. HOPE IS A PERSON. The Bible makes this clear. It’s the LORD. It’s God in Christ. 

He is trustworthy and true, faithful and loving, powerful and sovereign. Hope ultimately flows from Him, not from a circumstance, and not from another. The fountainhead is Him (Romans 15:13; 1 Timothy 1:1).

2. HOPE MUST BE PLACED. It wants to show up but can’t until it is attached to something. It can’t take root and grow until it is planted. 

Real hope shows up when it is properly placed — Put your hope in the living God (1 Timothy 4:10; Psalm 42:5,11 and 43:5).

3. GODLY HOPE DOESN’T DISAPPOINT. In Isaiah 49:23, God says, “Those who hope in Me will never be disappointed.” What a declaration! What a promise!

While our Lord does not always say when or how our hopes will be fulfilled, we know it is inevitable. Building hope on anything else will disappoint (Matthew 7:24-29).

4. HOPE GROWS GREAT IN TWO WAYS. First, it grows greatly as I know God at His Word (Psalm 130:5; Jeremiah 9:23-24). And second, it grows greatly in Christ — the more I make of Him, the more my hope grows (Read John 5:24, Matthew 13:44, all of John 15 and Colossians 1 for starters).

Bottom line: Hope shows up and settles in when our hope is placed in the LORD.

Reflect: How’s your hope doing? What hope adjustment might need to be made today? Should any verse above be posted in your home, car or locker for musing on or memorization?

A prayer to consider: LORD God Almighty, my hope finds its home in You. It’s here I put my greatest trust. Renew my hope. Dispel disappointment. I want to make much of Jesus, our living Hope, and the Bible, Your holy Word.

By your Spirit, grant this for your glory and my joy and steadfast hope in You. Amen.