“Hope deferred makes the heart sick” – so says the Bible and of course it is true and many of us have heart disease and other illnesses because of it. However, there is a hope that we can have that provides an anchor for our soul. I read today that “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…” (Hebrews 6:19). We can have hope in this world for this journey is only a dress rehearsal for the real thing.

We were made to live forever – wow! Jesus has turned the tables around to enable us to live forever which is amazing. The little baby born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago provided us with a pathway to everlasting life turning around the wrong choices of our first ancestors.

Even when our circumstances are dire and life is tough, there is still hope as Jesus provides the hope we need and if we have repented and asked him into our lives, we are never alone, as the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in the midst of us. Fancy having God in your life quite literally? It is amazingly possible. I became a Christian over 50 years ago and this was the most important decision I ever made or will ever have to make. Jesus takes my side and when this dress rehearsal is over, He will be there to stand before God on my behalf telling of His blood that has covered my life to free me up to be in heaven one day.

That’s not all. I believe that God is going to recreate the heavens and the earth as we know our planet is wearing out and even burning out with all the climatic changes that are causing our world to get warmer. Then, we, who have made that simple choice on earth will populate the new heavens and earth and although there will be no more sea we are told (which is a shame) God has greater plans for our planet that only He knows and will explain to us.

So what we do here and now is vital to our eternal destiny. The best is yet to come and we need to impart this to our children, telling them that Jesus promised to return to our planet one day  and that day is drawing closer and closer. So, we can hope most definitely to what is to come. Teenagers, particularly need to be aware of this and we all need to be ready.

So next time you feel a little despair or feel downcast, look up, for that is where our real life comes from and will be available to us for ever and ever. What a hope for everyone especially children who may have been traumatised by war and atrocities that no human being should even witness or even talk about. Jesus is our only hope.