Hope for Today and for Eternity

In this life, we can hope for many things to happen, but in actuality, as we use this term, it is more of a wish than a reality. We may hope for rain or for sunshine, for good health or for healing and for all kinds of things. However, because of our limited understanding, we can’t see beyond today, and many of the things for which we hope may not come to pass. Certainly, this is not the case when we consider our lot in life as it relates to our relationship with God in Jesus Christ.

By definition, hope is (a) to cherish a desire with expectation of fulfillment (as a verb), or (b) the object of such desires (as a noun). Both of these elements are essential for hope to be real and genuine, something that offers a positive motivation in one’s life. If there’s no desire or expectation, then hope doesn’t exist; one can be characterized as being “without hope” in Scripture, which is almost a synonym for despair (Ephesians 2:12). There must be something tangible for which one hopes, something real within the realm of possibility, for hope to exist (Colossians 1:4-5). In addition to this, there needs to be a degree of conviction in what one hopes, some assurance in its validity, a promise that certain things are true and that one’s hope is legitimate. When it comes to the hope we have from God in Christ, it is firm and secure, which encourages and motivates us (Hebrews 6:16-19).

The very fact that God offers us His promises, on which our hope is established, is unique in human history. There is no parallel in pagan history to the biblical records of God’s promises. It is significant that, when the idea of a promise or vow was used in the Greek world, it was never the gods who promised something to humanity but always humanity promised to its gods. In the Old Testament, the terms used to indicate a vow or a promise are used only in connection with God, never the deities worshipped by other nations or falsely worshipped by Israel. God, then, is alone in making promises to His creation, for He, as the only true and living God, is capable of fulfilling them.

Of course, while God offers us His promises and thus hope for life today, many of God’s promises deal with spiritual matters. In Paul’s sermon to the people of Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:26-33), he offered these important truths regarding God’s promises and the hope it offers those who put their trust in Him. The giver of the promises is God (13:32b), which speaks of their genuineness. We are the recipients of His promises (13:26), which speaks of His love. The context of the promise is the sending of Jesus as the Savior (13:33), which speaks of how importantly God views His children. By being fulfilled, the promise is the Good News, the Gospel (13:32a), which offers us hope for today and for eternity.

So, what does all this mean for us? It means God cares for us, enough to make promises to us based on His very nature as God. It means God wants us to not live in doubt or hopelessness but in the full assurance that He can and will do what He says. It means we have a way to live that not only provides meaning for our lives today but will carry us through to eternity. This is a hope that nothing in this world can offer or fulfill, but God can and will. We know God – because He sent Christ to die for us – will do all He has said (Romans 8:32), which provides hope for life.

No matter what we face today, never let go of the promises and hope God offers us in Christ. They are real, trustworthy and worthy of our commitment no matter what. Let us be faithful to Him, that He may bless us as He has promised, that our hope will be fulfilled in Him. “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV).

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