Paul tells us that faith involves "being sure of what we hope for" (Hebrews 11:1). In his classic Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin delineates for us how hope relates to faith: "Hope refreshes faith, that it may not become weary.

It sustains faith to the final goal, that it may not fail in midcourse, or even at the starting gate. In short, by unremitting renewing and restoring, it invigorates faith again and again with perseverance."

One of my favorite Old Testament characters is Moses. His life illustrates how hope can feed and sustain faith: "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.

He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:24-27).

Moses could have had immeasurable power, authority, and riches if he had chosen to stay in Egypt. Yet he gave it all up because of his faith in God. And his faith was nourished by his hope of a future reward, a hope which gave him an eternal perspective on life.

Was this kind of hope characteristic of George Muller's faith? I am sure of it! I recently discovered that after Muller's death, his son-in-law and successor in the ministry - James Wright - disclosed that "the mysterious name of a generous donor which had appeared on the Annual Reports for many years as 'from a servant of the Lord Jesus who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasures in heaven,' was none other than George Muller himself."

Muller's future hope had fanned his faith into a flame! Do you have a hope?

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