“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
(Hebrews 10:23)

I couldn’t keep my feet still as I waited in the hallway with my brother, both of us dressed in our Christmas pajamas. Soon Dad would have the movie camera set up, and Harvey and I could run into the living room to see the presents beneath the tree.

And one of them, I hoped, would be the Betsy Wetsy doll I had been asking for all year! I imagined picking her up, cuddling her in my arms, and loving her forever.

At five years old, my hope for that treasured doll was based on the certainty that my parents loved me. I knew nothing about economic woes or something called a “strike” at my father’s business.
But the hope we cling to in God is far deeper than that childhood hope. Earthly hope looks toward the future with uncertainty—things we might receive, outcomes that may or may not happen. In English, “hope” often carries a shadow of doubt.

Biblical hope, however, is closely related to faith. The Hebrew word batah—hope—carries with it confidence and security, without a trace of doubt. Biblical hope is a confident expectation, an assurance built upon a sure foundation. We wait with joy and full confidence because we know the One who promised is faithful. Always.
The letter to the Hebrews was written to a community of believers facing persecution. They gathered in secret, encouraging one another to remain rooted in hope despite their circumstances. Hebrews 10:24–25 exhorts: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Hope is not only personal—it is communal. We strengthen one another by worshiping together, setting examples of faith, and speaking words of encouragement. As Pastor Brandon reminded us, the church is a “safe place” to try new skills and step outside our comfort zones, knowing we will be encouraged, not ridiculed.

He described our three-fold duty:
1. To encourage one another by setting an example
2. To worship together
3. To speak words of encouragement that lift others beyond our own needs

There was no Betsy Wetsy under the Christmas tree for me that year, nor in any other. I remained confident in my parents’ love, but I learned that earthly hope does not guarantee fulfillment. Our hope in God is different—He provides exactly what we need, and sometimes even what we want.

Many years later, my daughter found and purchased a Betsy Wetsy doll for me on eBay. That little doll now reminds me that God’s timing in His provisions is perfect.

🌿 Take-Away for Readers
Hope in Christ is not wishful thinking—it is confident assurance. Unlike earthly hopes that may disappoint, biblical hope rests on God’s unchanging faithfulness. As we encourage one another in worship and community, we live out that hope together, pointing each other toward the promises of God.

🙏 Closing Prayer
Lord of Hope and Faithfulness,
We thank You that Your promises never fail. Teach us to hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, trusting not in our own desires but in Your perfect timing and provision. Strengthen us to encourage one another, to worship together with joy, and to live as witnesses of Your faithfulness. May our lives reflect the confident assurance we have in You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Biblical hope is a confident expectation, an assurance built upon a sure foundation.”