Our theme for this year is to be a people moving from disappointment to hope. Each
of us experience disappointment in this world either because of our own sin or
because of the brokenness within creation. But we believe in the gospel, not of
disappointment, but of hope. We believe that through Jesus Christ, new creation is
coming and has already begun. So we are on a journey as a people moving from
disappointment into hope. We won’t arrive until the resurrection happens and
Christ’s return. But we look forward to that day with great expectation and we
celebrate signs of Christ’s hope wherever we find it in this world. To accompany us
on this journey in 2018, I thought I might recommend some good books on hope
that you might want to read.
– Megan’s Secrets, Mike Cope – this is Cope’s reflections on having a mentally
handicapped daughter who died premature. His reflections are thoughtful,
authentic, yet hope-filled.
– Tracks of a Fellow Struggler and The Hopeful Heart, John
Claypool – Both of these books are good and short to read. They revolve
around reflections that Claypool has learned about hope based on the
tragedy of losing a daughter from cancer in his life.
– The Case for Hope, Lee Strobel – Another book in Strobel’s series, “The Case
for…” This book, while short, offers good biblical principles that give us
hope. He centers the book on the resurrection of Jesus and presents an
argument on why we can have faith in the risen Christ.
– Surprised by Hope, N.T. Wright – A little deeper book, this work delves into
the after-life and what our expectations are for heaven, hell, and the
resurrection. Wright is a very thoughtful writer and he argues that our
expectation is for a new heaven and earth and this hope should shape our
mission.
– Disappointment with God: Three Questions No One Asks Aloud, Philip
Yancey – Yancey probes the difficult subject of suffering in trying to find
answers when we feel that God is silent, hidden, or unfair. Yancey is always
engaging, authentic, and insightful.
Let me know if you read one of these and I would love to visit with you about it.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you
may overflow with hope by the power of the Spirit in 2018!
Good Books on Hope for 2018
