Hope: A Word to the Waiting

From: Edification, Exhortation & Comfort Series By: James Nelson Hyland

• 2 min. read • grade level: 5

Hope is an indispensable Quality of life. I suppose that all humanity, in one way or another, lives for hope. There is always hope! Hope...that things will be better tomorrow...health will improve...the economy will bounce back...new government will do better...the weather will change for something more conducive to our plans...etc...etc... "We are saved by hope." Romans 8:24²⁴For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? (Romans 8:24).

But amidst all this how good to have hope beyond this life. Hope connected with eternity. The hope of the Lord's coming again, has been the expectancy and cheer of believers all down through the ages of Christianity. Ever since the Lord Jesus, Himself, promised: "I will come again." What a glorious hope this is!

Hope connected with this world and this life is always uncertainty at best. We hope for, and hope to do, many things. But so often it never becomes a reality. However, the hope of which we are speaking is in no way indeterminate. No, it is only hope in the sense that it is not a reality yet—it has not actually happened. Read the rest of Romans 8:24²⁴For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? (Romans 8:24). "Hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?"

Here are some of the ways our hope is presented in the New Testament:

— A lively(living)hope. 1 Peter 1:3³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (1 Peter 1:3)

— A good hope. 2 Thessalonians 2:16¹⁶Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, (2 Thessalonians 2:16)

— A sure and steadfast hope. Hebrews 6:19¹⁹Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; (Hebrews 6:19)

— A blessed hope. Titus 2:13¹³Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (Titus 2:13)

— A purifying hope. I John 3:3³Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)

Over 40 times the Apostle Paul uses the word hope in the epistles he penned by inspiration of God. There is nothing worse than a state of hopelessness. But the Christian's hope is a reality, and though they may not always be in the full enjoyment of it, it is theirs, and nothing can frustrate that hope coming to fruition.

Here is:

—The last promise of Scripture. . . . "Surely I come Quickly."

—The last prayer of Scripture. . . . "Even so come Lord Jesus."

—The last provision of Scripture. . . . "The grace of our Lord Jesus

Christ be with you all." Revelation 22:20, 21²⁰He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. ²¹The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Revelation 22:20‑21)

"Hope maketh not ashamed." Romans 5:5⁵And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:5)

We have a blessed hope!
Living, and good, and pure:
Our Lord has told us, "I will come!"
His promises are sure.

Hope! Hope! Oh glorious word,
What comfort to the soul!
Hope, soon shall be reality,
And we shall reach the goal.

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