Hope

“ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” ~ 1 Peter 1:3

Hope is a common theme throughout the Bible. In the Books of 1 and 2 Peter, hope is a central theme. To understand hope in a biblical sense, we must set aside the thinking of the world. Hope is not simply “wishful thinking’” or “a desire for something better.” The world would define hope in terms of luck or fate, something that will happen if circumstances or chances are in our favor. Biblically, these things couldn’t be further from the truth.

When we read about hope in the Bible, it always begins with the sure knowledge that God is moving. From the very beginning to the very end, God has had a plan. He has planned for man to live in a relationship with Him both today and throughout eternity. Because of His great love for us and His plan for a relationship with us, God moves. He moved in the beginning to create man and give him free will. He moved to offer forgiveness and redemption when free will would lead us into sin. He has moved in the hearts of men, calling them to repentance and surrender. God moves.

When we know that God moves in the lives of men, we can then understand that God’s power is able to transform. Through history God has moved people, kings, nations, and thoughts in order to fulfill His plan. He has kept every promise and has sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to change the lives of all men. Today He has the power to change hearts, to forgive sin, and to bring us back from rebellion. Today He makes men holy and proclaims us righteous as we surrender ourselves to Him.

Biblical hope is the sure knowledge that God is moving and that He is able. Hope enables us to live in His presence, knowing that He shapes reality and belief. Hope helps us look forward to future with Him, and it also helps us see our present walk with God. Hope allows us to love lavishly, forgive freely, be sure of salvation, and serve sacrificially.