Office of the President
Rejoice in Hope
“ Rejoice in hope …” These words open one of my favorite verses. We often use the word hope to express a desire for a certain result, though with no guarantee of the outcome. I hope we have good weather on our vacation. I hope the crops receive much-needed rain. I hope I get that job. I hope my test results come back negative. These expressions reflect our natural longings, yet they remain uncertain and out of our control.
However, the hope we have in Christ is fundamentally different— it is absolute and unshakable. We never question whether gravity will hold our feet to the ground when we get out of bed nor whether we’ ll have enough air to breathe tomorrow. However, those apparent certainties pale in comparison to our guaranteed hope in Christ. The apostle Paul urges us to“ rejoice in hope” because our hope rests in the eternal, all-powerful Lord and King of all. It is a hope that cannot fail.
As you engage with these OMS Outreach articles, reflect on how God is powerfully at work in his church and in your life. May these glimpses of his faithfulness inspire gratitude, strengthen your hope in him, and remind you of Romans 12:12,“ Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” We can be patient in affliction and faithful in prayer because of our certain hope in our loving God.
For Christ and his kingdom,
Jeffry Max Edwards 3