Our Forever Hope

This place feels like home. We’ve made it beyond liveable, we’ve made it comfortable. As our well-being is threatened, we’re reminded, Oh yeah! This isn’t our forever home. Let me encourage you with this truth: We have our true, eternal home to look forward to.

If we live...Christ lives in us!
If we die…We will be with Christ in heaven!
If the government takes control of our lives… They cannot take Christ from us.
If the economy collapses...We are in Christ (in whom are all the riches of God)

First and foremost, We’re citizens of heaven. We’re “exiles/foreigners/aliens” in a strange country. We have a HOPE that goes beyond this world.

This verse in 1 Peter grounded me this morning. Let it steady you.

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:13 (NIV)

When it comes to Bible study, I like to nerd out and dig into the Greek or Hebrew. After studying the original language, I re-wrote the verse in these words:

“Therefore” - In light of the glory of your salvation, and living hope, (see 1 Peter 1:3-12)

“preparing your minds for action” - grab hold of your mind, and what you’re allowing to control it,

“and being sober-minded” - keep your wits about you, don’t let irrational thoughts dominate your thinking.

“set your HOPE” - Hope = “A desire accompanied by expectation or belief of fulfillment” (Merriam Webster online dictionary) fix your expectation and confidence

“fully” - completely (not a hope that goes up & down with the news feed)

“on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” - In the Greek, this isn’t future, but present tense…on the grace being brought to you right now, in this moment, regarding the revelation of Jesus Christ.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you…” 1 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)

Friends, we have an unshakable, imperishable, unfading, and eternal future. We have reason to live in hope!