Looking for HOPE and LOVE

Where can Hope be found? Changing up words from two of my favorite songs gives insight to where and how hope can be found. It all depends on where we are looking, what we are looking for, but most of all Who we look to and how we handle seasons that seem hopeless and those that are hopeful.

“Take a good look around and if you’re looking down...put a little HOPE in your heart. And the world will be a better place - for you and me - you just wait and see. Put a little HOPE in your heart”!

“What the world needs now is HOPE sweet HOPE, that’s one thing that there’s just too little of. Lord, we don’t need another mountain, there are mountains and hillsides enough to climb. There are oceans and rivers enough to cross, enough to last ‘til the end of time. Lord, we don’t need another meadow, there are corn fields and wheat fields enough to grow. There are sunbeams and moonbeams enough to shine… ‘till the end of time. So, we look to You, Lord and know...what the world needs now is HOPE real HOPE... it’s one thing that there’s just too little of.”

What are we looking for in life? HOPE and LOVE lead the list of things we long for - look for as we write our stories and sing our songs! An old song titled “Lookin’ For Love” shows how we can spend a lifetime looking for someone who gives us love and hope. As you read, you’ll probably be singing them as I am while typing each word.

“I spent a lifetime looking for YOU….(who have you been looking for or have you found someone to share life with here that fulfills your life with love, joy, hope, and happiness)?

I was looking for love in all the wrong places. Lookin’ for love and hope in too many faces. Searchin’ their eyes, lookin’ for traces of what I’m dreaming of. Hoping to find a friend and lover. I’ll bless the day I discover another heart lookin’ for love.

I was alone then, no love in sight, I did everything I could to get me through the night. I don’t know where it started or where it might end…’but I know God will guide me and hope will sustain as I look for love in the right places.

You came knockin’ on my heart’s door; you’re everything I’ve been looking for. No more lookin’ for love in all the wrong places, lookin’ for love in too many faces. Searchin’ their eyes, lookin’ for traces of what I’m dreaming of - now that I found a friend and lover - I’m thankful for the day I found you while I was looking for love!”

Lyrics (with my tweaking) from these three awesome songs share truths about Love and Hope that affect life here and the hereafter. So, where are we looking for love and hope? We can cope with hardships, as we write our stories and sing our songs, because we have Love for and Hope in Jesus Christ!

“Which HOPE we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast and which entereth into that within the veil…” Hebrews 6: 19-20

We simply cannot live without HOPE. Christian hope is truly an anchor for our souls. It stabilizes us during difficult seasons because we know that’s not how our story ends. If we believe these truths ( Believing in and Trusting a personal GOD (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) in our hearts, then we can live joyfully because it produces a hope that doesn’t disappoint as we keep singing His songs and writing our stories with Him as the main character.

Job had lost everything and was running out of strength. He even wanted to die as - well meaning but not hope filled and helpful) friends came to comfort him. Job’s despair shows in scripture he shared with his friends.

“What is my strength that I should HOPE? Job 6:1

“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spend without HOPE.” Job 7: 1-6

Yet, we know the rest of Job’s story as he suffered, mourned, cried out to God but kept his HOPE and LOVE for the LORD! God allowed the suffering and severe loss in Job’s life, but in the end restored him with more than he had when his season of hurt and hopelessness began.

Paul wrote a letter to the church at Colosse about the power of HOPE! Paul truly understood living without God’s LOVE and HOPE in his heart directing his story. Paul killed Christians before being blinded, seeing the light, hearing a prophecy how the rest of his story would center on living for Christ and helping Christians, and winning in spiritual warfare. Paul’s mission was plucking people from the grasp of Satan while sharing the power of LOVE and HOPE are found when we live committed to Christ.

First, we have hope by honoring God’s commandments and having a close relationship with Him. His greatest commandment ‘LOVE HIM FIRST with everything that we are’ should shine in our lives as we look for love, put love in our hearts, and remember that’s something there’s just too little of in our world.

Secondly, we hold tightly to the reins of HOPE while LOVING our neighbor (who may not look, act, live, or be like us) are ourselves!

Third, what God has promised to all believers in Jesus enables us to endure life’s hardships and shout hallelujahs as we write amazing endings to our love stories here while anticipating starting eternal life in heaven.

FInally, our HOPE and LOVE is fortified by Peter’s pilgrimages and profession of FAITH wherever he went as an apostle of JESUS CHRIST.

“Blessed be the God and FAther of our Lord JEsus CHrist, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively HOPE by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away…”

1 Peter 1: 1-25

When we put a little LOVE in our hearts and have HOPE in our good, good Father, Son, and Spirit...the effect on our lives (and those He puts in our paths to share our stories and songs with) will be profound.

May this story inspire us all to take a good look around, and if we’re looking down...put a little LOVE in our hearts, give HOPE in our lives a jumpstart, and let our lights shine heavenly.

Then - our city, nation, world - can be a better place for you and me...just wait and see. Believe, have hope and be what He's called us to be.

Put a little love in our hearts and have assured hope of eternity with THEE!