Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23

“Hope” can mean “I hope it is sunny today” or “I hope I get the job.” When Christians profess hope we proclaim the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I’ve served with the Fresno Mission for 10 years. Each day I ask myself “how do I profess hope in Jesus to those who have found only rejection, betrayal and loneliness and are stuck in a cycle of trauma and bad choices?” God reminds me to love them regardless of how stuck they may be. This hope is the fuel that allows me to embrace them and build with them relationships that introduce the one who gives eternal hope.

We picked up Lori from jail. She sat at my desk tired, confused and relieved. I offered to call a family member to inform them that she was now at Rescue the Children with the Fresno Mission. She was nervous at how they would react. It hadn’t been the first time she had promised to change her life. I called her mother, who was relieved; she had been praying her daughter would make her way to us. She became emotional as I told her the classes Lori would be enrolled in, mentioning they all are rooted in Jesus’ love. Her mother cried, Lori cried and I cried, knowing I would get to witness Lori’s transformation as she experienced the hope which is Jesus Christ. I let Lori know she was neither alone nor rejected—not by her mother, not by us and especially not by Jesus.

Hope means holding tight to the promise God gave us through his son Jesus Christ. I encourage you to allow that hope to transform you. Let’s profess hope by how we treat ourselves and the others Jesus sends our way.

Thank you father for sending your son, and give us strength to profess hope to others. In this world of false hopes, you God are the true hope. Amen