Winning the lottery

If you have hope you are not poor.

The concept of being poor is admittedly not something I have experienced.  I understand it, but am not somebody that has lived it.

If you live among people steeped in poverty you experience their loss of hope. There can be a deep sense that there is no way out of the situation - at least not an obvious way. 

We only know what we know and if you are born into poverty it is difficult to understand a different life when the life you have is all that is known to you.  Even when opportunity is offered, it can be such a mystery that fear requires you pass the opportunity by and live the life that offers no fear that mystery offers. 

In the story of the prodigal son, the boy blows his inheritance and is living a life of poverty as his hunger forces him to desire eating the pig food. 

When he looks at his circumstance and his opportunity to leave, his choices are limited to living the same life working for his father.  It does not occur to him that there might be new opportunity or work that improves his circumstances. 

That mindset is like blinders we wear that keep our eyes from looking beyond our circumstances at what could be. What “could be” is where we find hope.

Hope is a word that the Bible uses often. Hope is defined as wishing for a particular event that one considers possible. 

To hope for a particular event requires a consideration that it is possible. For a lot of people, they cannot imagine a life different than their current circumstances and therefore hope is lost. 

The book of Job addresses hope - mostly the loss of hope.

What strength do I have, that I should continue to hope? What is my future, that I should be patient?

Job 6:11

Job had everything taken from him including his strength and his health. He had no ability to get himself out of his circumstances.

There is a lot of humankind that can understand how Job lost hope. Their circumstances may feel like they are living the life of Job.

God gets it. He wants to show those that lost hope a new way.  God gives hope.

For I know the plans I have for you - this is the LORD’s declaration - plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11

The hope from God is not man generated. He supplies hope even in the midst of the worst of circumstances.

endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 5:4-5

God’s hope does not disappoint. Whatever God provides will never disappoint.

But you must return to your God. Maintain love and justice, and always put your hope in God.

Hosea 12:6

These words apply to every person regardless of circumstances.  The poor need to hear this.

But, so do the rich.  Our hope must be in God and nothing else. Hope can be lost on the rich when they have what they need and need nothing more.

I recently met a lottery winner. His circumstances were not good prior to winning the lottery. When I met him, his dreams had come true as his fears had now been put to rest as he had more money than he could spend in a lifetime. His hope was replaced with money.  This will prove disastrous for him as he has no reason to hope in God.

What reason do you have to place your hope in God - and only God? 

Are you after peace, joy, love, patience, kindness, gentleness, faith? If you hope for these things, you find them when your hope is in God.

With God, all things are possible.

Mark 10:27