p. 73 | HOPE by H. V. Adams

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 5, 1892

HOPE.

By H. V. Adams

BY H. V. ADAMS.

"HOPE unto the end." "Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you." A great many things are written about hope, and many more things said about it, and yet there is much more that might be written and spoken. But what is it?—It is a great desire, with strong expectation of receiving the thing desired. That is hope. Now a man may have a great desire, yes, a good many desires (and most men do), but if he cannot or does not expect to realize them, then he has no hope. There are a great many things in the world which pass for hope, but which are as far from really being hope as an ant-hill is from being a mountain. They are not hope at all, although called hope.

Many Christians profess such hope, so called, the result of which is constant discouragement to the professor; and that because the essential quality—strong expectation—is lacking. They have what they think is hope, but when tested it does not, it will not, stand. There is no expectation, and that because the man has no reason for his professed hope. When a man has that hope for which he can give a reason, then he is of good courage—he expects fruits. The Christian's hope begets praise and courage. "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Rom. 5:3-5. Thus we can rejoice in hope.

Have you a hope? Well, what are your reasons for it? Be ready to give them. If you can do this, you can expect to receive fruition. Farmers cannot hope for good crops when they have no reasons to expect them. You cannot hope your boat will run up stream without your rowing. So if you have hope in God, and know your reasons, be ready to give them. You will find them in God's word. Search for them. Dig till you get some, and then dig for more. You can never exhaust the treasure. As you get those precious reasons—God's immutable promises—your hope will blossom with praises and joy, and men will see the blossoms. They will ask you where you got them. They want just such—have been hunting them all their life. They have seen so much that is called hope that is nothing but sheer presumption, and which bears only discouragement and doubt, that they have concluded they really don't know as they care for such a hope. And no wonder. The one who has it don't want it either, but is superstitiously afraid to let it go. But hope that produces joy and praise they want. So do you.

And how long shall men hope?—Until you get what you hope for—"unto the end." There is too much spasmodic hope—hoping five minutes, or a day, or a week, and then no hope. And this away-up and away-down experience continues until the individual gives up in despair, completely worn out. The vibration was too wearing, the transition from one to the other too vexatious for the man. But, brother, if you have a hope in God, stick to it. "Hope unto the end."