What We Hope For

What is hope? Hope gives us something to look forward to, to strive for or seek after. We can set a goal to meet a desired end and be excited as we see ourselves getting close to achieving the goal. The goal must be something that is possible to reach otherwise there will be little hope or I should say it does not make sense to set a goal that we do not believe we can obtain, this is hopeless.

Colossians 1:3-6 Whenever we pray, we never fail to thank God, the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, about you, 4 now that we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all his people,

5 because of the hope which awaits its fulfillment in heaven. Of this hope you heard long ago in the true message of the good news which reached you — 6 Bearing fruit and growing, as it does, through all the world, just as it did among you, from the very day that you heard of God’s loving kindness, and understood what that loving kindness really is. (OEB)

Joyful expectation

The hope used in Colossians is a specific type of hope reserved for the children of God. This hope comes from the Greek elpis (el-pece’) it is the joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation.

Colossians 1:21-23 And it pleased God that you, once estranged from him and hostile towards him in your thoughts, intent only on wickedness — 22 But now he has reconciled you to himself by the sacrifice of Christ’s earthly body in death — it has pleased God that you should stand in his presence holy, pure, and blameless,

23 if only you remain true to your faith, firm and immovable, never abandoning the hope held out in the good news to which you listened, which has been proclaimed among all created things under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. (OEB)

Hope – conclusion

Finally, what we hope for extends beyond a desired end it is based on a promise and commitment from God sealed by His Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:12-14 The end [i.e., of being so predetermined] was that we [Jewish Christians], who had previously placed our hope in Christ, should bring about the praise of God’s splendor. 13 You [Gentiles] also, who are in Christ, after having heard the message of truth, the good news about your salvation, and [after] believing in Him, were sealed [i.e., as evidence of ownership] with the promised Holy Spirit. [or, “the Holy Spirit who brings promises”].

14 He is a down payment of our inheritance, until God’s own possession [i.e., His people] receives redemption. [Note: Here “redemption” refers to receiving a new body in heaven]. May this bring about praise to God’s splendor. (AUV)

Continue to hope for what God has promised, be blessed my friends ♥ Tim.

♥ Question for what we hope for: Do you hope for our heavenly home?

Scriptures to read/study

Colossians 1:3-8 (5); Acts 24:10-16 (15); Romans 4:16-25 (18), 5:1-5, 8:18-25, 12:9-13; 1 Corinthians 13:13