“Hope” is a word often thrown around—from political campaigns to advertisements promising to satisfy the deepest longings of our souls. Every person longs for hope. It’s what drives us to face each new day. Without hope, we are lost.
The problem is that the kind of hope offered by the world often falls short. We say things like, “I hope I had more money to pay my bills,” or “I hope the Detroit sports teams would win a championship,” or “I hope someone would notice me and love me.”
When humanity can’t find genuine hope, they often turn to the bottom of a bottle, to fleeting relationships, to adventure, or to new experiences—only to end up feeling even emptier.
This disappointment happens because the promises of hope from worldly sources are unreliable. What we’re often left with are empty wishes. But true hope—the kind that’s certain and lasting—is the assurance that what is promised will come true. And the only one who can offer that kind of hope is Jesus.
Many years ago, a group of blue-collar fishermen were tending to their empty nets after a long, disappointing night. These men were used to the daily grind, casting their nets and coming up short. But one day was different. That day, they encountered Jesus, the Son of God.
Jesus stepped into their boat and made a seemingly ridiculous request: throw the nets out again into the deep water. Reluctantly, they replied that they had fished all night and caught nothing—how could this possibly work? They had tried everything else, and it always ended up empty. Maybe you can relate.
But when the fishermen obeyed this unusual request, they were astonished. Their nets filled to the breaking point as the One who has power over creation caused the fish to swarm and overflow their boat. Their shock wasn’t just about the number of fish—it was about realizing they were in the presence of the only trustworthy source of hope.
Simon, the boat’s owner, fell to his knees and confessed he was a sinner, unworthy of Jesus’ presence. The truth is, each of us has a void deep in our souls that worldly pursuits can’t fill. That void exists because we were created for a relationship with our Creator. But sin—our choice to go our own way—has fractured that relationship.
People have tried to fill the emptiness or earn a right standing with God, but they always fall short.
The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:23)
Even though we are spiritually dead in our sins, God sent His Son into the world to rescue us and offer us eternal life. This is the hope the fishermen found—and it’s the same hope available to you today.
You may not be a fisherman, but you can probably relate to the experience of coming up empty-handed in your search for hope. If you are looking for true, lasting hope, you will not find it in anything or anyone other than Jesus.
Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
If you found hope in Jesus today, text Gospel to 97000.
