What is the anchor for hope?

What is the anchor for hope?

24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:24-25

This particular hope, that Paul is addressing, is that our physical bodies like our spirit will be redeemed.  Our bodies will be transformed.  In other words, we will look and feel great.  Have you ever wondered what age our new bodies will be?  What age do you think Adam was when he was created? 20? 30?  What about Eve? Late teen or early 20’s?  And what age was Jesus body when He was resurrected?  Scripture does not reveal, but we know that we will be transformed and be like him this is our hope.

What is the difference between hope and fantasy?  Both thoughts deal with imagining something that is unseen.  The difference is that fantasy lives within the realm of impossible or improbable.  Whereas hope resides in the neighborhood of obtainability.  We may be unsure of the when or the how, but our hope is in someone’s word about the possibility.

For instance, you can fantasize about winning the lottery.  You may think of all of the ways to spend the money that you will win.  You will want to give some away, invest some of it, pay some debts or go on an expensive vacation.  But if you never buy a ticket, it will never happen.  On the other hand hope is based on someone telling you that they know the right numbers to pick.  They have chosen right 100% of the time.  You may not know how that process works and you may even believe it is a lie.  But if you are following his lead and purchase a ticket…you are no longer fantasizing.  You are placing your hope in his testimony, that you will be a winner when that time comes in the future.  Hope is anchored in waters of testimony.  Somebody has already experienced the path that you see yourself upon.

For Paul, he knows that Christ has risen and has a resurrected body.  He fully believes (places his hope upon) that we will have a body like Jesus when He returns.  This hope is true for all of the promises of God.  Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you.”  Our hope about heaven is based on Jesus telling us about its reality for those who are children of God.  Find the promises!  Listen to Jesus who represents these promises.

Father thank you for your consistency.  You are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  Our hope is based in the faithfulness of your character to bring about everything in our lives that purpose to accomplish.  Our hope is in you, Lord.  You are good and we trust you with our very lives.  Help us to place our hope in your truth and not our own understanding.  In Jesus Name, Amen.