Hope

"For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens, who is God, who formed the earth and made it, who has established it, who did not create it in vain, who formed it to be inhabited: “I am the Lord, and there is no other. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in vain’; I, the Lord, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. Isaiah 45:18-19 (NKJ)

To have hope - not the hope that this world offers in all of its festering, decomposing,  glory -  but the true hope found in Christ Jesus, is to possess the greatest everlasting hope to be found in all of this universe and beyond, along with all of the wealth of heaven.

"And again, Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse; and He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope.” Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:12-13 (NKJ)

That hope in Christ has the power to lift the heads of the weary, deliver the destitute to glory, raise the dead, heal the hell-bound sinner to righteousness and restore him to right relationship with the God who reigns over all that exists.

That hope offers healing - not necessarily the far lesser healing of the temporary physical bodies that we now inhabit, but the healing of the eternal spirits that we are - those that He created in His own image. 

"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24 (NKJ)

That hope offers healing from the sin that separates mankind from All-Holy God to the righteousness and holiness that allows him to enter God's presence and walk in fellowship with Him as mankind's first ancestor Adam once did. It was before Adam allowed sin into creation back in the Garden of Eden to plague all of mankind under God's anger and create separation between man and God. That hope, found in Christ Jesus, has the power to deliver us into the awe inspiring presence of the God who created the heavens and earth. That Hope offers salvation and entry into a wellspring of continued hope found anchored in God's own promises.

"For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous." Romans 5:17-19 (NKJ)

Our hope in Christ Jesus bears the power to bring the impossible into submission to the possible as it meets with Gods will. God's eye is always on the eternal reality as ours should always be, because that's where true reality and our future exist - not in this temporary journey. The existence in this world is only a temporary proving ground - our opportunity to prove to God our belief in Him and His word, and live out our submission and obedience to Him as He requires.

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:1-8 (NKJ)

As believers of God in Christ, this is not our home. Our home is in heaven and our hope in and through Christ Jesus rests there.

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8 (NKJ)

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good? Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it."  Deuteronomy 10:12-14 (NKJ)