Hope Resurrects Our Faith In God

Hope: 1 Peter 1: 3-6


Because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead…we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance-an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay…There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. - (NLT)


Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials - (NKJV)


My husband, Troy, rides a motorcycle (street bike/crotch rocket). While I was in Iraq 2004-2005, Troy taught Autumn (my daughter) how to ride. He kept telling her, "If you look straight, you will go straight. Once you look another direction, the bike will go in that direction." It took a few times, but she learned how to ride a bike. In fact, she wanted to race them. Like most young children, she changed her mind and has aspired to be something else. LOL. Anyway, my point is … just as focusing on a fixed point in the distance helps you go in a straight line, followers of Jesus should fix their eyes on the eternal horizon in order to move straight toward their ultimate goal. That goal being heaven.

You see, Heaven is the ultimate place you will live with God forever without pain or sorrow or suffering. I don't know about you, that sounds fantabulous! I have a hope as all of you should have that same hope. This hope for eternity enables you to endure the challenges and discomforts of daily life here on earth. It gives you the motivation and energy to press on in your daily tasks of being a husband, wife, father, mother, pastor, supervisor, friend, teacher, student, and Christian. Your hope offers an eternal perspective on life to those you lead, and also in your development as a follower.


Song: Only Hope (by Switchfoot)

There's a song that's inside of my soul
It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again
I'm awake in the infinite cold
But You sing to me over and over again

So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only Yours
I pray to be only Yours
I know now You're my only hope

Sing to me the song of the stars
Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again
When it feels like my dreams are so far
Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again

And I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only Yours
I pray to be only Yours
I know now You're my only hope

I give You my apathy
I'm giving You all of me
I want Your symphony
Singing in all that I am
At the top of my lungs
I'm giving it back

So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only Yours
I pray to be only Yours
I pray to be only Yours
I know now You're my only hope


How does your hope for eternity change the way you lead today?