I recently bought a 150-foot rope on Amazon and wrapped a tiny piece of black tape around the first inch of it. That might seem like a misuse of both rope and tape, but I would disagree. Because that rope reminds me of biblical hope.

That tiny inch of black tape reminds me that few things are for sure while we are here on earth: Your family may or may not be healthy. Your friends may or may not stick with you after high school. Your bank account may or may not be better than the average. One of the hardest parts of life is the uncertainty of whether tomorrow will be any better than today.

But that’s why I love the rope of hope. After this life is over, there is a for-sure future that is drastically better than your current experience. God has promised us lifetime after lifetime after lifetime (how does one describe eternity?) where there is pure joy, perfect community, indescribable rest, and a front-row seat to see the face of God. Zero of these blessings are up in the air; 100% of them are for sure. This is why I wanted to decorate my last Christmas tree with the rope of hope!

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23). Have hope, Christian. Your God is faithful, so your future is for sure.