Black Opinions

Marriner’s Moment: Hope Reimagined – Part 1

By Pastor Melvin O. Marriner
Grove Church

“Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all you that hope in the LORD.”
Psalms 31:24

Several years ago, researchers performed an experiment to see the effect hope had on those undergoing hardship. Two sets of laboratory animals were placed in separate tubs of water. The researchers left one set of animals in the water and found that within an hour they had all drowned. Within that same hour, a second set of animals were periodically lifted up out of the water and then returned. The second set of laboratory animals swam for more than 24 hours. Why? Not because they were given a rest, but because they had been given hope that they would be rescued.

We are not laboratory animals, but too often we give up and lose hope. We resign ourselves to the fact that things will never get better, that there is nothing we can do, or that it’s simply too late. All hope is lost and we can’t imagine our lives any differently. But, here’s the good news: those of us who have hope are similar to the second set of laboratory animals. We’ve been through trials and tribulations and survived them, and we know that when we came out on the other side we were better and stronger. We’ve been rescued before. We’ve been set apart, redeemed, delivered and we are overcomers. We have hope reimagined!
Peace and power,

We invite you to join us at Grove Church, 5910 West Norfolk Road, Portsmouth, Virginia, Sundays at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., Tuesdays at noon and Wednesdays at 7 p.m.