Hope

"The faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel..." Colossians 1:5 NIV

When we have no more energy or strength to persevere to the end, we can still hope "for a brighter future."

"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—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Peter 1:3-5 NIV

I'm not really sure of all the meaning that this verse entails, but I know a few things:

- We should praise God more for being who He is, rather than for what he does. Sure, we give thanksgiving for our blessing, but how often do we praise him for his attributes?

- The merciful death and resurrection on the cross gave us a new birth—our ability to be born again. It's a rebirth into a heavenly and spiritual family.

- The word hope here doesn't refer to wishful thinking, but more of a confident expectation of the future. We know what is to come.

- In this, we know that because Christ was resurrected, he will return again. What's the point in dying and resurrecting if you're going to stay gone forever? Christ will return to claim what's rightfully his, the church (the body of Christ).

- The inheritance, our security in our salvation is eternal and can never spoil, fade, be taken from us and have nothing separate us from it.

- Contrary to ancient east, the firstborn will not be the only ones to receive their inheritance, but everyone who accepts Christ’s atonement and his propitiating love will receive an inheritance by having salvation and eternal life with Christ.

Our hope for the future has already been accomplished in the past. The heart of the gospel brings us freedom, hope, faith, joy, and love...