Hope Has a Name

From a Hallelujah to Hope.

So the early days of my dysphagia and inability to speak, chew or swallow were scary indeed. I was raising a hallelujah and fighting to get better, but I had setbacks. After three weeks of short rehab sessions, nasal tube feedings of food and crushed meds, and medical staff checks, I was not making much progress. Around Memorial Day both of my sons and a daughter-in-law were visiting and we spent large portions of that time trying to improve my ability to communicate. I was just so happy to see family. But after a few days, my older son and his wife left and I had a gripping bout of sadness and despair. My younger son stayed a couple days longer and I was sort of weepy, missing my older son already, struggling with the slow progress and losing hope. It was sinking in that this could be very serious and the brain operation that helps so many may have caused an opposite effect for me. My younger son who was still around, came into my room on one of those tough days and grieved with me. He noticed my struggle and we cried together, but then he said something that helped me turn my vision off the challenges and onto hope. He knew there was yet another song that resonated strongly with me; especially one verse. He said to me that day, "Mom you need to fight and you need to have hope, like that song and the picture hanging in your living room. Hope has a name mom, hope has a name."

Hope Has a Name.

Everyone at some time needs hope. My hope came in part through this interaction with my youngest son. That song didn't just serve up the concept of hope, it put a person to my hope. I think the song comes from Matthew 12:21 where Jesus was attracting a great following because he was healing all who came to him. Matthew the author makes a note of this time in Jesus's ministry of people flocking to him from all regions in the hopes of receiving a miracle from him. Matthew quotes a prophecy from the book of Isaiah 42 where God says in so many words that He will put his Spirit on his servant [Jesus] and "in his name the gentiles will hope." 

A New Anthem.

Hope has a name. His name is Jesus. I had another anthem to add to raising my hallelujah. I had hope in the person of Jesus. Like those people in Galilee who flocked to hear him and be touched for healing, I too have found some healing, but more importantly a plethora of hope. I am still struggling in many areas, but my hope remains strong because Jesus remains. I have a picture on my wall in front of my favorite chair reminding me that my hope has a name.