A Confession of Hope

Those most satisfied have the most hope. This is interesting, because on the one hand hope is generally conceived as looking forward to something better than what one already experiences. However, when something is easily obtained and bountifully enjoyed it is no difficult task to desire more. Hope itself is healthy and sustainable partly because it is regularly fulfilled. A rich person, for example, is full of hope that the next year may bring more wealth because he has heretofore easily acquired wealth. A poor person, on the other hand, may not be so hopeful when he looks at financial prospects; he is slow and timid to hope for great riches, for that hope has not been of any help to him. It remains sickeningly unfulfilled. Rather, the poor person, or at least the one who knows what is good for him, hopes for just a little more, just enough to purchase the daily bread. For we hope most often for more of what we already enjoy.

As another example, those most satisfied with life are the most hopeful about the remainder of it—a person depressed despises life, and wants only to escape. Those who love life look happily upon their future. In all cases, the most exciting hopes are ones that will continue to find fulfillment.

Perhaps this all seems rather obvious. Yet for Christ-followers, and particularly this follower, this idea has important implications. It means hope will survive in Heaven. Now we hope for what we do not see with our eyes, but what will happen when we have what we hope for, when Christ’s righteousness has seen us safely through judgment day? Will we then stop hoping? No, no, then we will hope even more, as the joy of a promise fulfilled and being fulfilled will continually breathe new life into the hope we already know—turning the invisible expectation into timeless assurance.  

“Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.”

Hebrews 10:23