July 22nd marks the beginning of a new school year here at BTS. As with every new beginning, the word “hope” is tattooed on the fore-head of every new student. Hiding behind their smiles are passionate hopes for brand-new directions in life – some to missions, some to pastoring, and some to tent-making. Yet we seldom talk about hope. We pray for more faith. We pray for more love. But we never pray for more hope. What is hope? I will describe it with three words – dream, power, and love.

Hope always begins with dreaming. Not just any dream but passionate dreams about the future.

Hope is always future oriented. Paul says “But hope that is seen is not hope at all, who hopes for what he already has?” Hope always begins with dreams of things that we do not yet have, desires that has not been fulfilled, things that we have not yet experienced.

The 12 disciples had a dream. That Jesus will be the Messiah to deliver them from the Romans. Until the very end, they had a strong hope that their dream would come true.

We all dream about all sorts of good things. But there is no guarantee. We may get them, or we may not. Dreams without guarantees are just daydreams.

The second element is power.

Biblical hope has strong staying power. Listen to just a few descriptions. Pastor Chuck Swindoll said: “Hope gives strength and courage in the face of our darkest hours.” Pastor John Piper said: “If I am put down, I look to the reservoir of hope for the strength to return good for evil … to keep going and not give up”. The apostle Paul summed it together well in 4 words in “the perseverance of Hope.” Hope gives staying power.

What is the difference between hope and daydreaming? Biblical hope stands firm on the promise of God. Paul demonstrates this using Abraham’s life in Romans 4 – “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Biblical hope stands firm in God’s promise. Sometimes it is objective. A biblical promise hits you hard and you can name it and claim it. Sometimes God whispers in your devotional time and you are so convicted that you will cling on it.

I remember before we came back to Singapore in 2020, we were in one of our family storms. Yet in a quiet retreat, God pointed to Isaiah 43: 1-2 and whispered in my wife’s ear – “go to Singapore, I will take care of your storm.” And as a result, we had a strong promise to cling to. Hope was born.

But what happens when I have no specific promise to stand on in our special circumstances. I remember the time when my father fainted and was wheeled into ER in 2010. What should I stand on? How would I hope? Would he be OK? That leads us to the last element of love.

After the cross, Peter’s daydream of a political messiah was smashed and he went AWOL back to the life of a fisherman. He was a broken man. But Jesus came into his life in John 21 and asked him three times – do you love me? And as Peter declared his love, Jesus restored Peter and directed him to the right dream – take care of my sheep and follow me.

Let us pull this all together. We all have dreams. Some are just daydreams. But for those who truly love God, Jesus will always break into our lives and lead us to the right dream. Powerful dreams with a strong sustaining hope.

Romans 5:5 said: “and hope does not disappoint; because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts”.

And in the beginning of this new school year, may I ask you to pray for our new students – not so much for their right dreams, but for a wholesome love for the Lord Jesus. For if they have the right love, the perseverance of hope will follow and this hope will never disappoint.

Rev Peter Lin
President