There is Hope: There is hope

Description

Tears are falling, nation mourning
Change is calling, out into this day
The silent pleas of those in grief
Of those in need with nowhere to turn

Era ending new day dawning
Times of shaking all across the world
Woman of grace, woman of faith
A loss so great echo’s through the land

Land of hope and Glory
Defender of the faith
There is hope, there is hope
There is hope, there is hope
He walks on these islands and lives in your heart
His name is Jesus hope of the world

families mourning, leaders falling,
Sounds of warning, of dark days to come
A distant war, calls to our shore,
The perfect storm, rolls in from the sea

I was driving home from a meeting in September 2022, just days after Queen Elizabeth II had passed away. The nation felt fragile, subdued, almost breathless. As I travelled, a lyric rose quietly in my mind: “Tears are falling, nation mourning, change is calling out into this day.” And as I pondered those words, another phrase settled deeper still— “There is hope.”

Tears Are Falling
It was a time when many still carried the weight of Covid’s aftermath. Instead of celebration, there was deep grief and mourning, loved ones gone too soon, and families facing financial strain. Political scandals clouded the nation, while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent tremors across the world. And then the Queen—a steady, familiar presence—was gone. It felt like a nation standing at the edge of uncertainty. Change was coming, whether we wanted it or not.

Yet even in seasons of mourning and upheaval, the Gospel declares a truth stronger than sorrow: grief is never the end of the story. Jesus Himself says,
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).

In Him, sorrow bends toward hope, and despair gives way to the comfort of God’s unfailing presence. These struggles—whether in 2022 or 2025—are not new. They echo the ancient ache of a fallen world, a story God has never stood far from, a story He entered to redeem.

From Darkness to Dawn
A second after midnight is already the beginning of morning. And just after the coldest point of winter, spring has already begun its quiet work beneath the soil. The same was true at the cross. When Jesus was crucified, darkness covered not only the sky but the hearts of His disciples. Their Teacher, their Messiah, their Friend—their hope—hung brutally on a wooden cross, mocked and torn until His final breath. To them, everything was lost.

Yet that moment of deepest darkness was already the beginning of resurrection. As His blood touched the dust from which humanity was formed, a new creation was being written. In His death, the seed of hope was planted—small, hidden, yet unstoppable. And three days later it burst forth, spreading life across the world. As Jesus declared,
“I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).

A Living Hope, Not a Fading Crown
Our nation may call itself a land of hope and glory, a defender of the faith—but our true hope is not in any country, crown, or leader. Hope has a name, and His name is Jesus. This hope is not wishful thinking or vague comfort. It is the hope of a Saviour who conquered death, a King whose kingdom cannot be shaken.

This King does not rule from a distant throne. He walks across our islands, dwells within the hearts of His people, and shepherds us through every storm. As the psalmist proclaims,
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way” (Psalm 46:1–2).
Even when the world feels unstable, Christ remains our anchor, our shelter, our unshakeable hope.

Not because circumstances are easy,
not because nations are stable,
but because Jesus is alive.

Prayer.
Jesus, I come to You because I want to know You more—truly, deeply, personally. In the places where my heart feels uncertain or unsettled, meet me with Your peace. Where tears still fall and life feels shaken, show me that You are near and that real hope is found in You alone. As I think about the darkness You walked through on the cross and the life that broke forth in Your resurrection, let that same hope rise in me. Draw me closer to Your heart; help me hear Your voice and recognise Your presence in my days. Teach me to trust You, to follow You, and to rest in Your love. I want to know You not just as an idea, but as my Saviour, my Shepherd, and my constant companion. Jesus, lead me deeper into Your truth and Your life, until I can say with all my heart that You are my hope, my strength, and my Lord. Amen.