Hope Laid Up

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
Col 1:3–8
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Hope Laid Up
Hope is a word we often hear and use. But it can be misused too often. Many times, when people say hope, what they really mean is wish for. There is no certainty in the word as they use it. For many today they are simply living without hope without assurance. Most people in the Greco-Roman world of Paul’s day lived without hope. But the way the Christian uses the word it takes on its proper meaning. Hope for the Christian can be thought of as faith directed toward the future. With Christ, there is certainty for the future. We may not know every detail, but we do know what matters. The love of God in Christ Jesus gives us hope. Our hope is in the blessed future reunion with our Savior and in His return. Our hope is certain.