What do you hope for? Is your hope solid? Or is your hope more akin to wishful thinking? Do you know your hope can be assured when you put your hope in Jesus? Will you put your hope in His promises?
We have become accustomed to using the word hope to mean wish. We will say that we hope for this or that, not really believing it will happen. Our confidence in hope has waned. Yet, there is a hope that comes from our belief in Jesus that is more than wishful thinking.
Our hope in Jesus grows out of our love for Him. Our love grows deeper as we get to know Him. We get to know Him by spending time with Him. We can spend time with Him by reading His Word and praying.
We put our hope in other people as well. We put hope in our spouses, parents, children, and friends. Although, we refer to our hope as confidence and trust. What is the difference in the hope and confidence we have in people we trust versus our hope in Christ? We can see the people in our lives. We don’t see Jesus in the flesh. But that doesn’t make Him any less real or alive. It doesn’t make His promises any less likely to occur.
As Peter states in today’s passage, we are to put our hope in the grace of God, which will be made manifest when Jesus returns. It is our hope in His return, our forgiveness due to His grace, and His grace being fulfilled that gives us confidence in our hope.
Our love for Jesus strengthens our hope in Him. When we love Him, we have hope in His promises, and can be more assured He will fulfill His promises than any other person we put our hope in on this earth. So, put your hope in Him.
I pray we all grow in our knowledge of Jesus Christ. I pray our love for Him grows deeper. I pray we put our hope in Jesus and in His promises. Spend time with Jesus. Get to know Him better. Grow your love for Him. Put your hope in Him. Trust in His promises. Know that He will fulfill them.
1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.
Marty Pressey 