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“And I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know and cherish the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18)

Immediately after my breast cancer surgery, I contacted the doctor’s office to schedule my oncology appointment, only to discover that, due to issues with my medical insurance, my card was not being recognized as valid in their system, despite multiple confirmations with the insurance carrier. As if the stress of undergoing cancer surgery and awaiting further treatments wasn’t overwhelming enough, the office informed me after hours on the phone: “If I call you back by four this afternoon, it means we were able to verify your insurance coverage and can accept you as a patient. Otherwise, I’m sorry, we cannot—and we do not accept uninsured patients either.”

I remember clearly that scorching July day, one that brought me tears and anguish I haven’t felt since the actual cancer diagnosis.The fear of not starting my next cancer treatment overwhelmed me. I was praying, I was searching, I was looking for other places that could take me as a patient, all while feeling sorry for myself and angry at the system; self-pity is a powerful thing that draws all the attention on yourself and the unfair situation at hand, clouding any possibility that there is hope ahead.Despite being a nurse for 20 years,carrying for patients with all types of pain and hardships, insured or non-insured-none of these brought any resolve. It was just me and the phone call ahead. Until 4 pm. Oh, how I waited for the phone call!

It is not so when God is calling us. When He pays us a visit, when He calls us to have a conversation, no matter how dire the situation you may find yourself in, His calling has a positive resolve. HOPE. Always. But to better grasp the meaning and ultimately rejoice at the permanent,eternal,hope that Christ offers- unaffected by human will-we need to reflect on Ephesians 1:17. Here, the apostle Paul is praying that believers will receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation which will ultimately open the eyes of the heart. It is in this very center and core of our beings, indwelled by the Holy Spirit that we will begin to grasp and cherish this hope- the divine guarantee to which we have been called.

To whatever God has called us, He will also provide the means to reach it. It was obedience that enabled Abraham to make the journey—often arduous and at times stalled—by focusing not on his own physical limitations but on the Voice that called him out of Haran and brought him safely to Canaan. Hope did not come immediately, nor did it accompany him cheerfully on his way to Canaan, as far as we know; Abraham believed God, and his faith progressively moved him forward, nurturing the hope of a promise partially fulfilled at that time. More tears, extra miles, battles fought and won on behalf of Lot, more burnt offerings and prayers, Ishmael, then Isaac—the promise entirely fulfilled. He obeyed when the ultimate test of his faith was asked of him, the sacrifice of Isaac—not because he was immune to the pain or detached from the greatest of all emotions—love for his son—but because he continued to tread the less known road and remained in Him, trusting that He was just, merciful, eternal, God of heavens and earth, wise and good. Hope endured when the word seemed impossible to be believed and its definition unfathomable. But in the end, God showed him the very object of renewed hope—a ram to take his son’s place. It is because God, our Elohim, who makes the promise, will always stand by it to see it fulfilled. His honor is at stake.

Our calling, first to salvation, then to walk humbly with our Lord, pursue justice and love mercy, be the salt and light to the people, and walk in the “good deeds” He prepared for us long ago, as written in Ephesians 2:10, has a name: HOPE. The hope of glory. Not always celebrated or recognized in a 7-day week filled with tedious and mundane tasks we are responsible for. But believed nonetheless, trusted, and anchored in His Name. Not filtered through an insurance policy that needs a monthly update to give the patient access to the medical doctor, but a calling launched in Heaven, carved with His initials, and filled with hope by the God of the Universe—our personal, loving, and detail-oriented Father.

I pray that you remain in Him, fight the good fight and hold onto hope against all odds. He will come through- I am confident.