Hope because Christ is the Lord of Creation. Jesus is the Lord, the maker and upholder of all things in the universe.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. – Colossians 1:15-17

If you carefully study what others in your life say and do, including self-examination, you will find that we are all controlled by and preoccupied with hope. Most of what we do and much of what we say is motivated by hope.

Mom’s headache worsens as her distress increases in hope she won’t be next in line at the corner office, yet another victim of her company’s downsizing. Dad lies in bed late at night, wide awake, thinking to himself, “I hope our marriage improves one day.” Sixteen-year-old Kristin says to her friend at school, “I really hope I pass the driver's test tomorrow; I hate riding the bus.” Fourth grade student Jimmy thinks to himself, “I hope I don’t fail the math test; I didn't spend enough time studying and Dad would be so angry with me.”

Everything from hoping the alarm wakes us up in the morning to hoping our loved one beats cancer; our lives are preoccupied with and controlled by hope.

Hope because Christ is the Lord of redemption. Christ is the head of the Church and has accomplished reconciliation at the cross.

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. – Colossians 1:18-20

We are all hoping for people, circumstances, and things that won’t let us down, that won’t leave us hopeless. We convince ourselves daily that the object of our hope will come through, leaving us happy and fulfilled. But what are we really asking of someone or something when we place our hope in them or it?

We are asking for that circumstance to calm our anxiety and give us peace. We are asking that person to give our lives meaning. We are asking that thing to make us feel significant. We are asking these people, circumstances, and things give our lives meaning. We are asking them to get us through the hard times and disappointment. We are asking them to give us a reason to get up in the morning and the satisfaction we need to fall sleep at night.

This is too much to ask of anyone or anything, right? If we find our hope disappointing us, we must confront the reality that it’s the wrong hope.

Hope because we are reconciled to God. For believers, this means present reconciliation to God as his friends.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. – Colossians 1:21-23

Colossians 1:15-23 reminds us about a hope that won’t disappoint us, even in times of suffering. A rock-solid hope that doesn’t shift with the ever-present changes in relationships, circumstances, and things. A hope that will never ever disappoint us, let us down, or change can be found in only one place.

It can’t be found in a circumstance, promotion, good grade, new accolade, or anything of the sort. This certain and fulfilling hope is found in a person, Jesus. Whether you have known this truth for decades and need to be reminded or you are hearing this for the very first time, what our hoping heart is searching for is life. Heart-changing, soul satisfying, life to the fullest and life abundant.

Circumstances can make our lives easier, but they can’t give us life. People can cherish, love, and respect us, but they can’t give us life. Things can give us a temporary high, but they can’t give us life. Achievements can give us temporary satisfaction, but they can’t give us life.

We will never find true and lasting hope horizontally. True and lasting hope can only be found vertically, at the feet of the King, the Messiah who is hope. Hand over your hopeful heart to His hands.