Hope-To be Full of or less than

“Peter Rabbit gut stug under the net. He stop triying and giv up,” Christene read aloud from her journal.

“So, what’s a word that would describe Peter Rabbit?” I inquired. Christene pondered the question deeply as her lips protruded outwardly and her dark eyebrows pointed inward and down. I gave her a minute or so before making some suggestions. When I said, “Hopeless.” Her lips shifted to the right. She had never heard that word before. Thus I began to explain what it meant to be hopeful or full of hope. I used the example of her hope that her mother would return from school this Saturday. When one has hope, they don’t remain sad. Instead there is a looking forward with anticipation of that long awaited event. One may even do something to prepare for the other’s arrival. Christene might make her mom a picture to surprise and welcome her.

On the other hand, when one or a situation feels hopeless it is quite another story. There is a sense of what’s the use? Why bother? It’s easy to become that way, especially when things never seem to change. Poor Peter Rabbit thought he’d be trapped under the net forever. He may have even thought of the other rabbits baked into a pie or simmered in stew. Oh me, oh my! Yes, it’s true. He stopped trying to get out and wept bitterly. Most assured, Peter felt everything was quite hopeless.

Somehow this brings me to connect with Abraham and Sarah in the Bible who really had no hope UNTIL that one day when God made them a promise. He promised a child and descendants that would be as numerous as the stars and grains of sand by the sea. Although they had every reason to be and feel hopeless at ninety something years old, God made them a promise. Much later, He delivered. If only I had a promise; a personal promise just for me. I can think of all kinds of things to wish and hope for, can’t you? Well really only a few are most true and dear.

Without a promise, there is simply NO HOPE! So many times, I can feel and act like that impetuous Peter Rabbit, getting myself all tangled up and without any hope. Yet if I knew that my desires were God’s desires and that what is important to me, is important to Him then I would rest assured. I would know it’s going to be OK. I could and would anticipate. I’d even prepare. It would be as if the net wasn’t even there. Age would just be a number, not a hindrance. There’d be no worry. No care.

Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Sarah laughed, but later came around. Peter, well he did not end up as rabbit stew or pie, but I’m sure it was a long time before he ventured into Mr. Macregor’s garden again. Me? Hope is available, but I’m still under the net and not really sure what I can or should hope for at this time in life. I know what I’d like, but again without a promise, there’s just no hope.