THE “HOPE” OF OUR SALVATION!

BIBLE PASSAGE:
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to
all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and
worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and
godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed
hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior,
Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all
wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his
very own, eager to do what is good.
(Titus 2:11-14)

MEDITATION:
What does the word “hope” mean in the Bible? It doesn’t
mean “maybe”. We may use it that way in modern English,
but that’s not what the word “hope” means in the Bible.

The word “hope” means “certainty”. It doesn’t mean just any
certainty; it is a rock-solid assurance, based on the Word of
God. But it means even more than that;
it means “certainty with anticipation”.

There was a time when dads used to take the family for a ride
on Sunday afternoons. The kids would be in the back seat and
mom and dad would be in the front seat. Of course kids would
be kids in the back seat; they would get into squabbles and
fusses. Sometimes these squabbles would escalate into fights.
Then they would hear those words from their father,
    “When we get home you are going to get a spanking”

This was not an idle threat, it was certainty, but there was no
pleasant anticipation. The second coming of Jesus Christ is a
certainty – it is our blessed “hope”; it is “hope with favorable
anticipation”.

ACTION:
Most of us have heard someone say things like.
    “I hope the Lord doesn’t come back today”.
That doesn’t sound like blessed hope of “anticipation” does it?
It sounds more like a dreadful reckoning; a time of accountability
for wrong actions, and/or attitudes.

Even as believers, we have to be honest and admit that none of us
particularly look forward to death, but at the same time, we have
the assurance of a home waiting for us ‘on the other side’.

Jesus said,
    My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so,
    would I have told you that I am going there to prepare
    a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you,
    I will come back and take you to be with me that you also
    may be where I am.
    (John 14:2-3)

That is our “hope”; our “certainty with anticipation”. We have
a desire to see what He has prepared for us. With our finite minds,
it is difficult for us to even imagine the “place” He can, and has, 
prepared for those who love Him and are called by Him.

When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He defeated death and
its finality (not finality in terms of no longer existing, but finality as
in eternal punishment and separation from our Heavenly Father who
loves us).

Be honest, do you dread the return of Jesus Christ, or do you
anticipate His return with joy? The question is not, “Do you
look forward to death?” but, “Do you look forward to being with
the Lord?”.

Food and water are our greatest physical needs, but love ranks
as our highest emotional need. To be eternally separated from
God’s love would intensify the eternal punishment we suffer for
failing to accept His offer of salvation, and then committing our
life to Him.

Hell is depicted in the scriptures as a place of fire and torment.
We may ask, “How could we be cast into a fire and not burn up?”
Through the burning bush, God showed Moses (and us) that He
is capable of creating a fire that can burn, and yet not consume.
    There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire
    from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on
    fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and
    see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
    (Exodus 3:2-3)

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gift of salvation.
Thank You for your assurance that when I surrendered
my life to Your will, Jesus created a place for me in
heaven. When life gets difficult, remind me of the home
I have in heaven and help me to keep my eyes focused on
You. Show me how to use the gifts You have given me to
point others to Your Son, Jesus. I thank You for saving me,
and I pray for those who have not given their lives to You.
Teach me to be a ‘light on the hill’ for the lost souls who
do not have a relationship with You.”

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