Romans 5:5

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us ~ Romans 5:5

 

Hope is a strange word. Sometimes it is confused with desire, you know, like, I hope I win a million bucks, or I hope I can go to that party. Sometimes too it is confused with belief. “I hoped you would help me out of this…because you seemed different than others I have met.” Instead, we find ourselves in another precarious situation. So, separately, hope as desire or as belief are both inadequate and untrue. But, in combination, well that is a different matter. Hope is both desire and faith – it is to have confidence that what lies ahead is good. This is because the Christian has a higher hope, and this hope is everlasting, knowing no decay, and which sustains the spirit. The reason we have such confidence is due to God’s love for us, that He will fulfill our hope because He loves us – He will not fail. Paul states God’s love has been poured into our hearts. His love is like a never-ending stream which permeates and fills our soul with His presence. This hope says to us, “I know you are suffering now, but through this you will grow and be transformed. Through this My glory will be shown. Because you believe in Me, your hopes will not be put to shame, for they will not be empty.” Many times, people in the world attain for higher status and recognition but then are disappointed when they reach their mark. They have placed their hope in an object. Christian hope is placed on a sure foundation, Jesus Christ. In Him we will never be put to shame or made ashamed. 

Pastor Julia

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