Without hope we become depressed and may even want to die. Actually, I have been told that hopeless situations may lead to physical death.

However, no person who knows the Lord Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Savior is without hope. Furthermore, we are instructed to be able to answer everyone who wants to know the reason for the hope we have within us with meekness and fear and a good conscience. (See I Peter 3:15-16).

What is the source of our hope?

We have a vibrant living hope because the source of our hope is the resurrected God Man, the Lord Jesus Christ. (I Peter 1:3 states “. . . The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . hath begotten us again to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”)

In fact, we are informed in I Peter 1:21 that God raised Jesus from the dead and gave Him glory, so that our faith and hope might be in God. So, you see the source of our hope is in the Lord Jesus, and because He lives our hope is not dead.

What are some of the things for which we hope?

We hope to be conformed to the image of our Lord. This will involve receiving our new body, which will no longer have the old Adamic sinful nature. Since this sinful nature carries the seeds of death, we will be victorious over death and will live forever in this new sinless body. Death will be defeated never to raise its frightful specter again.

We hope to abide in a relationship with Christ through time and eternity.

We hope to see our Lord Jesus assume His rightful place as the Monarch and Just Ruler of the whole earth.

We hope to see our loved ones who have gone on before us and to rejoice together with them as we share the wonders that Christ has prepared for His people.

This hope enables us to rejoice in bad times and in good times.

Our hope is not wishful thinking or a wistful hope-so, because we have laid hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast in the very presence of the Father, even Jesus. You see, the Lord Jesus has the love and the power to see that our hope in all of these areas is realized.

We who know Christ are instructed on this basis to “ . . . Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (I Peter 1:13)

Would you like to have this blessed hope? If so, flee to the foot of the cross. There must first be the penalty of your sins paid. Ask God to apply the payment that the Lord Jesus made on that cross to your account. He will do so, and this blessed hope will be yours also.