Filled with hope
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)
Hope. It is a weighty word that carries deep meaning, but it is also a word that is thrown around in everyday language without the true meaning attached to it. “Hope you have a nice day!” “Hope you feel better.” “Hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow!” We find ourselves saying these phrases without much thought and primarily as pleasantries.
However, in the New Testament, the word hope, translated from the Greek word ‘elpis,’ carries a much richer meaning: a joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation. Let that sink in for a moment. For followers of Christ, hope is not simply an optimistic state of mind or a desire for something to happen. Biblical hope carries an assurance and confidence in the work of God through Jesus, His son. God has permanently secured eternal salvation for us through Jesus’ death and resurrection. So Paul’s prayer for the Romans to be filled with hope was not simply a pleasantry tacked on the end of a long letter. Paul’s logic behind his confident expectation, as outlined in Romans, is that God’s love for us is so secure, displayed by Christ laying down his life for us, that we can walk through life’s trials and challenges with the hope of eternal life with Him. The author of Hebrews puts it this way:
“So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us.” (Hebrews 6:18-20, NLT)
At the end of these last few years, you may have heard people saying things like, “There’s no hope for this year anymore. Let’s hope the next one is better!” Honestly, these past few years have been challenging. Given the events that have transpired nationally and globally, especially these last few months, it is easy to say, “Let’s hope next year is better!” But our hope does not wait until we have turned the page on a new calendar year and get to 2023. We serve the God of hope who has secured hope for us in Christ for whatever challenges we face today and moving forward. And as Paul says in Romans 15:13, as we trust in Him, he will fill us with joy and peace, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overflow with hope. Receive the God of hope today and, in turn, receive true hope!
Lord, we thank You that our hope is secure because of Jesus. We step into each day with a confident assurance that You are good. Help us to surrender all that is ahead into Your hands. We trust in You, our only hope. Amen.
Renee Ghobrial serves as the communications director of the Baptist Churches of New England. A modified version of this article first appeared on dayandnight.org as part of a national prayer and fasting initiative.
