Hope is an amazing thing. Hope is the catalyst to our faith. Hope based upon the sweet and precious promises of the Lord is what keeps us moving forward in this life. Paul said in yesterdays passage that our bodies were groaning on the inside as we wait for the redemption of our bodies and adoption as sons and daughters. In today passage he writes, it is 'in this hope that we were saved'. We are longing to be clothed in our heavenly garment and to be with Christ throughout eternity. This hope is the realization of our salvation but while we are on this earth we are still waiting expectantly for it .
The dictionary defines hope in these ways: to cherish a desire with anticipation; to desire with expectation of obtainment; to expect with confidence. Hope is not a passive thing. Hope is knowing God and knowing that what he promised He will provide. To have hope, you must have faith. The writer of Hebrews said in chapter 11, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" ( Hebrews 11:1 ) the King James version says that "faith is the substance of things hoped for..." and the Amplified reveals, "NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]" ( Hebrews 11:1 Amp ). Faith is a substance, a tangible reality. Faith is activated by hope and they work together. To have hope, you must have faith.
In other words to have faith carry you through to realization of what you hope for, you have to be fully convinced in what you are hoping for, this takes faith. Basing your hope upon a promise of God will awaken faith when everything seems hopeless and that faith will carry you through until you have what you are hoping for. Hebrews says "let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful" ( Hebrews 10:23 ). Faith is what moves you and is what moves God. Knowing God and His promises will propel you into the realm of hope. Remember, hope is to expect with confidence and knowing God brings confidence because he is faithful to what he has spoken.
Paul said in today's passage that our hope is resting on the Lord. He will return for us and redeem our physical bodies to be reunited with Him forever. Paul has encouraged us to remain in hope, resting securely in this precious promise. Faith is what sustains our hope us as we wait for this promise to be fulfilled. Paul said in I Thessalonians to "... be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet" ( 1 Thessalonians 5:8 ). He knew that a helmet protects the head and that the hope of our salvation is what protects our mind and thoughts. Today, I pray that you let the knowledge of this hope protect and guard your heart and mind. I pray that you rejoice in the hope to which you were called in Christ Jesus and you wait in expectation of this hope to be fulfilled, amen.
