More Than We Can Imagine

The following meditation was written by Dr. Aaron Janklow, senior pastor and head of staff of Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God’s powerful strength.” Ephesians 1:18, 19

One of my favorite Bible verses is Isaiah 40:31, “Those who hope upon the Lord will renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” This verse is extremely meaningful to me because it describes how hope in God encourages and shapes us in the current moment. Hope entails a desire for something more than our current circumstances and grants us the strength to persevere as we wait for what we hope for to be realized.

As demonstrated here in Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians, prayer and hope are intertwined. Hope is a powerful trait that enables us to live more fully into the promises of God through faith. Hope, as expressed in the Bible, is not just desiring and wanting something more or different, it is having reason to believe that it can actually come to be. Ultimately, hope is rooted in the character of God, and it is the love and power of God revealed in Jesus Christ, that gives us our basis for hope. Afterall, as we see in the crucifixion and resurrection, if God can overcome the cross, then “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

While their immediate context did not match the promised, hoped-for reality in God, Paul seeks to encourage the church in Ephesus to remain steadfast in faith by acknowledging “God’s glorious inheritance among believers” and “the overwhelming greatness of God’s power.” His message is not much different from Isaiah’s message to the Israelites about hoping in the Lord, which gives me great strength. Paul believes that hope for the future promises of God will give “power” to the church today.

Returning again to my favorite Bible passage from Isaiah 40:31, “Those who hope upon the Lord will renew their strength,” some translations use the word “wait” instead of “hope.” While I prefer the word “hope,” I believe both translations point to the same truth—that as we wait for what we hope for, we must draw upon the strength that comes through faith in God. Paul states elsewhere in Romans 12:12, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” When we pray for what we hope and long for, we acknowledge the difference between our current reality and God’s promise. Rather than letting that difference or the “tribulations” we face lead to resignation, hope strengthens us to persevere and live with the assurance of God’s love no matter the circumstance, even as we may need to wait.

When we pray for what we hope for, we are ultimately making a declaration of faith. Rather than surrendering to the status quo, no matter what that may be, or anything shy of the full realization of God’s presence, love, and grace in our lives, in prayer, we acknowledge that there is more to us and this world than we currently experience. Prayer is the powerful act of sharing our hopes with God and acknowledging that we need help beyond what we can provide for ourselves, and that God can answer that need. Prayer is a statement of faith that “with God all things are possible.” Perhaps, more than we can even imagine. In other words, prayer helps us to live by faith. Prayer keeps us rooted in the hope and character of God and reminds us of the “glorious inheritance” that is ours as believers, helping us to navigate the world before us with purpose and hope.

Joy,