Great word.  Have I ever told you about it?  Elpis.  One of my favorites.

Elpis is the Greek word usually translated as hope.  It doesn’t mean hope the way we think of hope, like, “I hope I win the lottery.” It isn’t pipe dreams, penny in a wishing well hope.  It’s assured.

Here’s our problem with hope today: we have either lost sight of that after which we biblically hope or we’ve bought into the lottery version of hope–either we don’t know what to hope for or we don’t hope for it with assurance of obtaining it.  We might, for instance, say that we hope we enter into eternal rest and find we’ve lived a life that warrants Christ’s accolades of us to His Father (but really we doubt it.)  We might say we hope Heaven is all that because, really, who knows and He gives us so little to go on (but secretly we fear it’s all harps and old hymns.)  We might say we have hope that tomorrow–whether spent here or there–will be blessed and better than today because He said so (but honestly we’ve had such a string of lousy days tomorrow looks grim on every front.)  We might say we have a longing hope to see His face (but deep down we’re scared to death He’ll say He never knew us, or worse, say He’s ashamed He does.)  

How much of what we say do we really mean?

And how much of my life affirms that I do indeed mean it?

Elpis is a longing to receive that which I know is coming.  It isn’t a maybe, but an assurance of things yet fully revealed.  It’s as good as done.

It means I believe God really won’t look on me as a criminal awaiting judgment, but rather as a bride approaching her Groom.  

It means Heaven really is that one destination I can hardly contain myself for want of entering into.  

It means I am today the makings of one who can be mighty in the Lord tomorrow.

It means a life of relegating myself to His will today will totally be one worth having lived when my final tomorrow comes.  

Biblical hope says that certain things are true.  Not because I want them to be, not because they appear to be, and not because I say they are.  These things are true because He said so and that makes them as good as done.

My Father’s house has many rooms if it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?                                        John 14:2

He’s been working for nearly 2 God-days on this ‘place.’ Look at what all He did in six God-days!  What’s coming is bound to be good.  

Now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.           Colossians 1: 22

This is who we are in Christ!  We are HOLY, we are FAULTLESS, we are FREE.  This is done and for me to take on chains and shame is for me to fall short of the hope to which I have been called.  

He has made us to be Kings and Priests to serve His God and Father.        Revelation 1:6

We are of royal lineage, possessing all that is ours as heirs of the Kingdom of Light, and we have direct access to the God of all Creation.  We also serve as advocates, mediators bringing man in his sinful state into the presence of the God who redeems.  And it is our duty and privilege to spend our days at His feet and in His service.

We must know the promises He’s made that are as good as done.  And then we must believe that He will see them through to completion–assured belief, certain anticipation. (Philippians 1:6)

If we do not know or we do not find ourselves assured, we would do just as well to roll our pennies and spend our Sunday mornings casting wishes into the fountain.  Know whom you have believed and be persuaded that He is able.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.                          Ephesians 1:18-19