Homelessness and hopefulness

My Christian Science church had the challenge of praying about homelessness.  We worked well on it.  The idea then came that maybe we could next time work on hopefulness.

When I see these two terms – homelessness and hopefulness - in type, I find there is an amazing balance. 

On checking the Bible concordance for the word hope, I was surprised at where it is prevalent -- Job (13) and Romans (12).  One thinks of Job as being a worrier, and it makes me glad to see that hope is with him.  Well, actually, some of them are negatives. And Romans has not been an easy study for me.  It gives me hope to see eleven entries.  Here are some of them --

Romans

+ (Abraham) who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations... (4:18)

+ For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.  (15:4)

+ For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  But if we hope for that se see not, then do we with patience wait for it.  (9:24, 25)

Job

Eliphaz the Temanite endeavoured to cheer Job.  Gave him a cheer job! 

Job, chapter 4 begins with recalling his good work --

+ If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved?  but who can withhold himself from speaking?  Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.  thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.  But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.  Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?  Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent?  or where were the righteous cut off?  (Job 4:1-7)

Of course, Psalms is rich with hope -- 2 under "noun" and 16 under "verb."  These are all positives --

* Why art thou cast down, O my soul?  and why art thou disquieted within  me?  hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance, and my God  (42:11)

*  Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.  (146: 5)

What a lot of cheer one can find in the Scriptures!  As students of Christian Science we are comforted that with the promise of Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy: "The Scriptures are very sacred.  Our aim must be to have them understood spiritually, for only by this understanding can truth be gained."  (547:23-25)  And that precious book is the Key to those Scriptures.  We are rightly equipped.

Joyce Voysey