Hope

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Romans 8:22-25
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Hope
            We often speak of hope more as a wish than a certainty. We hope to get the job; we hope our team wins the championship. But in this kind of hope, there is no assurance. We might get the job, or we might not. Our team might win, or they might not. This is not the way in which Paul uses this word here. Here, he speaks of a confident trust in what is not seen. This type of hope is the key to Paul’s presentation of the Gospel in these verses and throughout the letter to the Romans. It is a hope grounded in Christ’s resurrection; with a patient expectation, believers hope in the promise of His return in glory, knowing that it will happen. The devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh would convince us otherwise, though. They would have us give up hope; St. Paul reminds us that our hope lies not in the things of this world but in Christ Jesus and what He has accomplished for us on the cross. A sure confidence we have only because of the faith the Holy Spirit has kindled in us. And faith alone saves, and faith is essentially trust and confidence in God’s promises. It is in these promises given by Christ where our hope lies.