Hope

Posted 6/11/2003 8:21:17 AM

Hope is a wonderful thing. Hope provides a vision of something wonderful to look forward to, a meaning and purpose to life. Hope is a very positive force, being different than fear - also a powerful motivator. Hope brings life, fear forces it.

We can give hope to each other by encouraging one another with Scripture Rom 15:4, and through edifying each other Rom 15:2. Again, Paul stresses the point of living together in unity, this time for the purpose of gloriying God Rom 15:6. Continuing the theme of Romans 14, he writes for several verses (Rom 15:7-16) about the hope the Romans have as Gentiles, in the person of Jesus Christ, and given through the mercy of God and the power of the Holy Spirit Rom 15:13.

Paul's mission has been to blaze the way, sharing the good news of eternal life to people who have never heard of such wonderful hope Rom 15:20-21. He's writing to the Romans, but hasn't actually visited them yet, but is making plans to do so. Rom 15:28-29 Little does he know that he'll indeed visit Rome, but as a prisoner. Act 28:14

Yet Paul's hope, both in his own life and in giving it to others, never faltered. He knew what he was living for, and accepted God's will gracefully and willingly.