“For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:24-25)
Now comes the hard part. Let’s say that you have bought into Paul’s argument: Our only hope of ever experiencing true satisfaction, ultimate completeness, is to be with God in person. We have the promise of that. We have been made God’s children. But we’re still waiting for the end of the story, “the redemption of our bodies.”
Until then, we will live with the pain and groaning of life on a fallen planet – even with the peace, joy, and comfort provided by God’s Spirit – while we wait for that Day to finally get here.
Paul says we “wait for it patiently.” Sometimes, though, we lose patience, don’t we? We flirt with other things to hope in, good and bad things that might promise satisfaction sooner, easier, cheaper (like sexual immorality, personal achievement, laughter, money, etc.). But they all let us down eventually.
Then we’re back to this: “Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:13)
Think: Are you waiting patiently with your hope set fully on that Day? What false hopes are most likely to attract and distract you from the one true hope?
Pray: Ask God to help you to set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Do: Make a quick list of false hopes that have disappointed you by leaving you empty because you expected too much of them.