Hope

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see… (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

            Hope is an amazing thing. It can be the difference between success and failure. It’s the little engine that keeps us from giving up. In the end, it’s what keeps us going.

I have many hopes for this upcoming year. One is that I will actually be able to add to this blog on a weekly basis. I hope that anyone who reads this will be encouraged and drawn closer to God. I hope that you and your family prosper. I hope that this year, good gains a little ground over the evil in this world. Most of all, I hope you never give up hope.

A little more than two years ago, the Holy Spirit impressed on my wife and I that we were to take a message of hope to those in need. It was at the birth of my second grandson. You may remember that he was an emergency delivery, born not breathing, and had gone without oxygen for approximately 15 minutes. There was little for those involved to hope for. In fact, many came close to accusing us of creating a false hope. The doctors were very emphatic. The mass of data, collected over a ten year period, showed that Caleb would never recover. If he lived, which was doubtful, he would spend his life in a vegetative state. “There is no hope for recovery”, one doctor said. I guess for most, that was all there was to it. He was at the top of his field. He was good at what he did. In, fact, he saw 200-300 cases like Caleb’s every month. Caleb was category 3 – the worse condition. I remember his words, “They do not recover from this.” Yet God had very clearly impressed upon us, “You are to taking a message of hope”.

            Now if you follow my blog at all, (see The-god-of-impossible) you know that he not only lived, but has been pronounced “normal” in all developmental areas - a miracle, an anomaly. At a recent visit, my daughter was told that in over 70,000 cases as bad as Caleb’s, only 5 children had lived. Only one had fully recovered.

            An amazing thing happened at their last visit with the head neurologist. He told them that Caleb’s case is always in the back of his mind. It had given him the possibility of hope. He now at least has a glimmer of hope to give to distraught and anguished parents. He asked to see Caleb once a year, just to see how he is doing as a reminder. He is still amazed, and curious about the whole thing. Hey, in fairness, my wife warned him. The first day we had arrived he had condescendingly told her, “I don’t think you understand how serious Caleb’s condition is”. I remember her gently wagging a finger in front of his face and saying, “And you have no idea what our GOD can do”. I think he understands a little better now. God can do what man thinks is impossible. As for me, I hope this is only the beginning…