What is 'Hope?'

"For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."                        Romans 8:24-25  NKJV 

The hope that we are discussing is not one of optimism  or wishful thinking without foundation. It is a confident expectation  based on solid certainty. It is a Greek word called elpis and it is a pure biblical hope that rests on God's promises. This hope is never inferior to faith but is an extension of it. Faith is the present  possession of grace; hope is confidence in grace's future accomplishment. People may say, 'Hopefully I may get this job I applied for.' But this is wishful thinking, they are hoping that the job will be theirs. However, the positive side of this would be 'Hope - fully.' For example, the person who has applied for the job will say, 'I will hope-fully that this job is mine.' This is putting the emphasis on faith and giving God room to work on our behalf.

Our text for today is very similar to 2 Cor 4:18 which reads: 'While we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.' Both these verses encourage us to have a faith and a hope that have a certainty and not a wishful thinking type of hope. They are foundational - built on the rock and not on the term 'possibly.'

With true faith, we live in it and walk in it. Things are subject to change in an instant. Living this way we have a biblical hope not a wishy-washy type. It is the temporary versus the eternal. Hope is a joyful expectation about the future. Real biblical hope combines a radical trust. With this type of hope we have that wonderful feeling that, 'We know' deep down inside of us. It is that feeling, the type that will not go away because it has been placed there by God. 'We know.'

What Paul says in Romans 8:24-25 "but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance." Let us unscramble this. There is absolutely no point in hoping for what we see on a continual basis. The world does this but rarely goes further. We may want something and ask God for this but, we haven't received it yet, even though we can still see it. What we want, is the physical part - the part that we cannot see, the fruition of this prayer in our hands. It is almost like beginning to feed our hope on the word of God, that hope will paint a picture on the inside of us - a power picture of God's promise fulfilled in your life. So we persevere until that hope becomes a reality.

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now:

'Lord Jesus, I have sinned and I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today.

In Jesus' Name. Amen'

Copyright 2024 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers

Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle 

Check it out

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B084G9S4FD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2