Let’s think about the word “hope”—what does it mean? Some people hope it doesn’t rain, while others hope the rain comes soon. Some hope something goes away; others hope something shows up. Some people are hopeful. Some are hopeless. Some people find hope, while others lose it.

Hope is mentioned five times in today’s passage. Let’s read Romans 8:23-25 and then consider Paul’s words about hope.

Romans 8:23-25
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

The hope in this verse and all of Scripture is not a desire that something does or doesn’t happen. The great hope of Scripture is a certain confidence that what we can’t see and haven’t experienced will one day take place. When our time on earth is over, believers have the certain confidence that they will enter an eternal existence with God…forever. We don’t know when that will happen, but we will “wait for it with patience.” That is our great hope!

We were adopted into the family of God for this great hope. Our “chief end” is “to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” Certainly, we are not living in heaven now. If we were, there would be no need to hope. But for now, as we wait to experience an eternal relationship with God, we live in hope.

I surmise that this great hope is stuffed way back in a storage closet of most Christian’s minds. Life demands our attention. Living in the “here and now” insists we focus on the “here and now.” That’s where we lose our perspective…and sometimes lose our way. We were saved ultimately for this great hope. In the meantime, as we wait for our eternal home, we are encouraged to live with anticipation, patience, and great hope.

Father, ignite this great hope within us. Remind us that we were made for eternity. In the midst of marriage, family life, school, recreation, mundane tasks, work, pressure, deadlines…in the midst of life…keep the great hope alive in us. For Christ’s sake. Amen.