Someone once said, “We live in a broken world, so why are we surprised when we are cut by the pieces?” 2 Corinthians 4:10 tells us that we are “always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” It’s God’s purposeful plan, on this side of a fallen world, to carry death around with us daily. How can a good and loving God allow that? Because it’s about His glory, not our comfort. We carry death to reveal His life. We are broken to show He is wholeness. We are hurt to show He heals. We die to our sin to glorify the Savior. And we walk through death and darkness to reveal His Resurrection. Life from death, even on this Earth, is the hope we proclaim as people who live in a post-Resurrection age. The empty tomb points to our one source of true hope: Jesus.

“Easter was when Hope in person surprised the whole world by coming forward from the future into the present.”

—  N. T. Wright

A Prayer of Hope

Father, You allowed Your Son to die on a cross for me and You sent Your Spirit as my comforter. This holy Trinity was present at creation, at the cross and still at work today. Thank You for this hope of life out of death. We don’t have to wait for hope on the other side of eternity; it is what we walk in now. Help me to anchor myself to the Hope that goes by the name of  Jesus. Amen.  

20 Scriptures on Hope:

“There is no true, lasting hope outside of the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

— Tullian Tchividjian

Steps to Salvation:

The Bible states that God loves you and cares for you as a person (John 3:16). Humankind has been separated from God by sin (Romans 3:23). God sent His Son as a provision for our salvation through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and His Resurrection from the dead (Romans 5:8). Doing good deeds is not enough (Ephesians 2:8-9), but receiving the free gift of salvation is (John 1:12).

You can invite Jesus Christ into your life right now by praying something like the following:

Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I need your forgiveness and grace. I believe that Christ paid the penalty for my sin, and He died in my place, and He rose from the dead. I invite Jesus Christ to come into my life as Savior. Thank You for saving me from my sin and making me Your child. Help me to grow and learn how to serve You. Amen.