In the early 1700's, Alexander Pope wrote, "Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always is to be, blest." (Essay on Man).

I am afraid that is not entirely true. There are many today who have either lost, or never had, real hope. Hope is simply the belief that there is something better still ahead. It is not a complicated thing — just a glimmer of light in the darkness. It primarily is the domain of the suffering and troubled. Those who are fully satisfied with things as they are spend little time hoping for a better tomorrow.

In The Diary of Anne Frank, a story of the persecution of the Jews under Adolf Hitler, her family is in hiding for a long time. Finally they are discovered and there is great emotional stress as they prepare to be taken to the prison camp. Her last line is classic: "Until now we have lived in fear. Now, let us live in hope!"

How can anyone survive without hope? Yet, many do. It is a sad and bitter life at best, but they survive. But, survival is not the primary goal of humankind. If it were, then we are all defeated. Endurance, made possible by hope, is our calling.

The ancient Job cried out in his bitter agony, "But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its place;  the waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so thou destroyest the hope of man." (Job 14:18-19)  But he is answered centuries later as the Psalmist sings, "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God." (Psalm 42:5-6)

He still redeems the righteous from despair and gives us hope.
The apostle Paul sums it all up as one who has known the full force of our adversary. "Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." (Romans 12:12)

Perhaps Peter the apostle says it best of all: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  By His great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...” (1 Peter 1:3)

It is a long way from Job to Peter, but in the end they shared one common experience. God was their vindicator! He still redeems the righteous from despair and gives us hope and "hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5 NKJV)