The Language of Hope, Finding the Way Through

The Language of Hope

Finding the Way Through

Beth Weikel

The Language of Hope is written by Beth Weikel

Copyright 2012, Beth Weikel

Images Copyright 2012, Beth and Dave Weikel

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from Beth Weikel.

Scripture quotations in this publication are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB), unless otherwise indicated.

Published by: By His Design Publishing

445C East Cheyenne Mtn. Blvd. # 139

Colorado Springs, Co 80906

byhisdesignonline.com

lifefromloss.com

Smashwords Edition

Licensing Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal use and enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, please visit Smashwords.com and purchase a copy for yourself. Thank you for respecting this author’s work.

E-Book by e-book-design.com.

"Hope is patience with the lamp lit." –Tertullian

Hope—learning it, speaking it, living it. It’s the treasure of the gospel message in its fullest dimension, each facet a jewel, necessary and precious. But learning the language of hope is a process. Hope doesn’t panic, run, or act foolishly. Hope rests, trusts, stays, and receives strength. It sings songs of salvation only the troubled soul can learn. Hope lasts, in the midst of defeating prospects. It sees open doors of opportunity when the way isn’t clear yet. Hope is supernatural.

By using story –incidents in the Bible and evidence of every-day life, alternating teaching with personal essay, the author leads the reader to explore hope in vivid terms, not in the abstract, wished-for variety. Hope explained, exposed, in order to be considered and applied. It’s as you go… and fosters reassessing at life’s junctures, then continuing on, with lense refocused. It encourages the reader, likewise, to make memorial stones of lessons learned of God’s goodness in tough times. It will invoke meditation, praise, and prayers to the God of All Hope.

The author has passionately pursued finding the way through her own series of losses and reversals with eyes open and alert to helping others make the most of troubling times. A prolific writer and well-traveled speaker, Beth Weikel possesses an adventurous spirit which expects her Lord to lead into unknown territory on a regular basis. Her background in education, full-time ministry, and community endeavors that promote quality and contribution, is expanding into new arenas constantly. It is her joy to offer the overflow of intimate communion with the living God, whose unlimited grace amazes daily.

"Do not anxiously look about you…" (Isaiah 41:10)

The Open Bible (NASB) defines hope as expectation of future good, however, it affects all of life, including today. How can hope be applied to our here-and-now tribulations? How can hope stabilize shaky circumstances? Where is the courage and joy that testifies to a life blessed, right now? How can we say, like David, behold the Lord in my presence…at my right hand, that I may not be shaken? (Acts 2:26) Or lay claim to being born again to the living hope that Peter speaks of? (I Peter 1:3) Or even declare, like Paul, who proclaims that having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech? (II Corinthians 3:12)

The writer of Hebrews says that we who have fled for refuge in laying hold of the hope set before us. This hope…as an anchor for the soul…both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil (Hebrews 6:19). Abraham is spoken of as demonstrating a hope against hope in a God Who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist" (Romans 4:18). How can we believe like that?

The answer is in the One in which we place our hope. We have obtained an introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God…And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our heart through the Holy Spirit Who was given to us (Romans 5:2, 5). This says, we have peace with God through Christ, and that we also exult in our tribulations… (Romans 5:1, 3) Later Paul, the writer of Romans and no stranger to tribulations, continues in this vein. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope…but we hope in what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it (Romans 8:24-25). Going even further, Paul explains that if we can present our bodies as a living sacrifice, in worship and not be conformed to the ways of this world, but have our minds renewed, transformed, and by that prove what the will of God is (Romans 12:1-2), our responses will reflect this transformation. Rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer… (Romans 12:12). Our love will be without hypocrisy, and we’ll put others before ourselves, even our enemies. That kind of hope overcomes evil with good, just like God did.

This is not a religion of should’s and ought’s. Our very lives will glorify God: show a watching world His attributes. Our models are found throughout the pages of Scripture. They retrace the transforming love of God, and testify to finding life after brokenness. They give a context to God’s mercy and power in a world lost in its own darkness.

Other titles by Beth Weikel:

What Do Daddies in Heaven Do? A Family Grief Resource

Heart of a Warrior, Dispatches from the Front

I AM, An Unchanging God in a World of Change

A Lasting Embrace, When Life Unravels

(Dave and Beth Weikel)

Table of Contents

Dedication

1. When Life Unravels

2. Bobbing Along

3. The Grieving

4. Dance for Life

5. Perspective: Mountain Tops and Valleys

6. Breathless

7. Hope in the Hurting

8. The Climb

9. Making Meaning

10. Recycled Memories

11. The Lessons of Loss

12. Bird Party

13. Taking the Long View

14. Learning Curve

15. A Conversation

16. Life in Three Dimensions

17. How Far Will You Go with Jesus?

18. Get Outta Town

19. Psalm Writing 101

20. Life Maps and Landmarks

21. Heart Stirrings—Songs in the Night

22. Milestones: Birthday Reflections (& A Surprise)

Epilogue: Two Final Truths

Addendum A: More than 100 Reasons to Trust God in Turbulent Times

Addendum B: Meditations for Spiritual Health—A Baker’s Dozen

Dedication

For Chad,

Sing a new song to the Lord.

Chapter One

When Life Unravels

We never outgrow our need for hope. Never. Life in all its dimensions requires hope, because it’s natural to lose our way—in good times and bad. Hope, by Webster’s definition, is comfort, expectation, confidence, trust. The object of our hope, however, is important. What do we hope in? And why?

I want to explore what another writer calls the geography of hope. Some of us hope in ourselves or in others whom we admire, but sooner or later we discover the limitations of that kind of human hope. Simply by living, we can see that this source of hope runs out, disappoints, and is unworthy of our confidence. None of us, no matter how much we want to, can fulfill our own or another’s need, without fail. The one source of this measure of trust is Sovereign God. The Bible is full of examples of men and women, boys and girls, who found their expectation in this living Lord rewarded—even when their outward circumstances seemed not to budge. Even in the waiting, they found comfort and strength to believe.

Hope is action, not a stagnant ideal. Hope delivers the impossible. The book of Job shows us a conversation Job has with himself, his wife, his friends, and his God. Despite Job’s foundation of faith, he wrestles with the practical implications of a living hope. As we observe this process, the lessons for us are timely. Listen to this conversation as Job answers his friends’ glib pronouncements about his sin and resulting suffering. Job is not only declaring what he knows of God, but also addressing these attacks.

Does Life Make Sense?

I am a joke to my friends, the one who called on God and He answered him. The just and blameless man is a joke (12:4). Been there? Job goes on to say, He who is at ease holds calamity in contempt… (v. 5). In other words, it’s hard for others to appreciate or accept our suffering need if they haven’t been there themselves. Our pain creates another’s discomfort. Job also recognizes that life isn’t necessarily fair, The tents of the destroyers prosper and those who provoke God are secure, whom God brings into their power (v. 6). Even though this is so, Job speaks of the power of God, In whose hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind (v. 10). With Him are wisdom and might; to Him belong counsel and understanding (v. 13).

We may not, along with Job, understand God’s ways, but we can, with him, declare our hope in Him. Though His ways are mysterious and stretch our faith to its limits, our expectation remains because of His character. The God of the Bible doesn’t lie, nor does He give false promises. Job recognizes that he must allow God to be God. His plans are absolute, though troublesome and even crushing at times. But Job somehow looks past the present, and possibly continued and compound, suffering. He knows God sees even when He seems silent, and Job knows his life belongs to Him. He knows the counsel of his friends is hollow; they don’t speak for his God. Somehow he believes this God will come through, despite the recent evidence. Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him. This also will be my salvation, for a godless man may not come before His presence (13:15-16).

Job’s friends want no ambiguity and expect a predictable Supreme Being. Job says to them, How long will you torment me? (19:1) He tells them, in effect, I can’t explain it; I just see this darkness—my way is walled. Everyone has been removed from me, and those I love have turned against me. For now, I am stricken; pity me. Yet again he somehow can say, And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth (v. 25). A forsaken man, a wicked man cannot say this. Job knows, Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God…and whom my eyes shall see and not another (v. 26-27). His assurance is resolute, despite his emotions (my heart faints within me).

After more wrangling with these comforters turned accusers, Job expresses his earnest desire for an audience with Almighty (absent) God. Oh that I knew where I might find Him…I would present my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments (23:3-4). …Behold I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him… (v. 8). Yet again, the truth of his understanding by