+DEV+ High Hopes

Date: June 14, 2010 9:25 PM
Topic: +DEV+ High Hopes

High Hopes

"...Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27b). "For in this hope we were saved. But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently" (Romans 8:24-25).
Scripture Focus: Colossians 1

Listening to the evening news or reading the newspaper headlines can be depressing. War, the economy, moral failures in leadership-it all combines to make us feel hopeless.

Hope. The way we use this word today is very different from the original Biblical meaning. Today we say things like, "I hope it won't rain," or "I hope my team wins," or "I hope I don't have cancer." We don't know if the event will or won't happen, so we express hope in the midst of our uncertainty.

But Biblical hope is not an if; it's a when. Biblical hope refers to something that will definitely happen. It's a confident anticipation. We may not know the timing, but God does.

In Scripture, one of the names of Jesus Christ is the Hope of Glory. Christ is our hope. Our future in Him is certain. There's nothing "iffy" about it. We may not know when He will return, but we know He will, and someday we will be with Him. Because of our salvation in Christ, He is our glorious Hope, and He will never disappoint.

Insight: What is causing you to worry or be anxious? Have a confident anticipation of God's promises as you view the future.