Hope

If one needs to be reminded what hope looks like, one needs only to look at a child. Leslie has recently taken to informing people that when she turns five, she gets a scooter. This is because she asked for one at four, and we told her she had to be five before she could get one. Now, she expects it, kind of like she won't be surprised at all if she gets one, and it will just be like, "What took you so long?"
In that way, hope seems a lot like expectancy. And really, I think it is. Its also married very closely to faith, the whole- "Faith is being certain of what you hope for, and sure of what you cannot see." I really think this kind of certain hope that I see in our four year old is very similar to the certain Hope that the Bible talks of. Its not like the common idea of hope that says, "We'd really like this thing to happen even if it probably won't." Like hoping we win the lottery. No, its a hope that is more, "Hey God, I knew you'd come through."
We have the living hope of Christ when we look at life wiht an expectancy that God is revealed all around us. When the miracle comes through, AND when it doesn't. When we have victory AND when we lose it big time. Hope is knowing God is there with us. Hope is knowing He will always be with us.