Hope

I have been thinking about Hope a lot lately. I mean in the biblical sense. In casual conversation we may say, "I hope the Cardinals win." or "I hope it doesn't rain on Saturday." When we use hope that way we mean wishful thinking. I have no assurance that the Cardinals will win or that it won't rain on Saturday, my desire is for a win and no rain, but I really only have wishful thinking. When the Bible talks about hope, especially or hope in Christ as Christians the word means something completely different. Hope carries this meaning in Scripture, the absolute assurance of something you don't fully have yet. Here is my favorite passage about the absolute assurance of God's promises in Christ, our hope.

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
(Heb 6:13-20)

Here is how secure our hope is in Christ. It is dependent on God being God. God swears by Himself and makes an oath with Himself that all of His promises will be fulfilled in Christ. God connects His promises with His very character and person. If our hope in Christ fails, God isn't God. Talk about hope security!