Hope!

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

I understand the whole “things not seen.”  I don’t have a problem with that.  But I wanted a greater understanding of what hope was.  More than just a feeling or an expectation, I wanted to understand my part in it.  I wanted to know what I was supposed to do since the faith that we have is not a dead faith, but a faith that is alive.

What does it mean to hope, to have hoped, and to be hoping?...

Hope:  a present response to a future state or action

Hope is a response.  It is something that we choose to do, to receive, to live out. 

When we choose to act now according to what will be or is coming… we are hoping.

When the Word of God tells us that Jesus is returning as King… we act now as subjects of the King… even better… children of the King! 

When the situation seems grim… don’t respond to it… respond now to the coming kingdom when the Lord will make all things new and “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Revelation 21:4

Act upon the promises of God to receive the promises of God.  And do not be hesitant to do this. Don’t be afraid to act thinking that others might find you a little crazy because you are responding to something you might not yet see. 

“For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, [then] do we with patience wait for [it].” Romans 8:24,25

 Be bold for “hope maketh not ashamed;” Romans 5:5.

Stand among your brethren and live a life that proclaims…

“For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.” Psalm 38:15

Hope!  Act now on what is to come.

SDG