Hope figures very large in Scripture. It means many things, the assurance of salvation, confidence of eternal life, and the guaranty of future resurrection. Hope is also a quality of the human spirit that, strengthened by the Holy Spirit and enriched by experience, empowers a person to resilience and perseverance. It's this quality of strength in the human spirit that I am concerned with here. Hope comprises courage, confidence, purpose, determination, and the ability to keep on even in adverse circumstances.
Hope gives power to the present.
Several years ago the town of Flagstaff, Maine, was condemned to be sacrificed for a new hydroelectric development. Once that decision was made by the state legislature, the people of Flagstaff lost hope in their future. Soon the town would be under water. Months before that happened, all public building improvements and home repairs came to a dead stop. Week by week the town became more and more shabby and forlorn.