You Were Created for Hope

"For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope," (Romans 8: 20)

Even when we were God's creatures, and not yet His children, God had great plans for us.

Even for the people under the Old Covenant, God promised not to forsake them, but to grant them a hopeful, hope-filled end

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." (Jeremiah 29: 11)

and then

"2Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.

"3The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
 

"4Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry." (Jeremiah 31: 2-4)

 

Later on, Zechariah prophesied:

 

"Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;" (Zechariah 9: 12)

 

Today, we have this hope living in us, because of Jesus:

 

"25Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" (Colossians 1: 25-27)

 

When we understand that hope, the confident expectation of good, comes to us because of Christ in us, then this passage makes more sense:

 

"3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1: 3-6)

 

We were chosen before the foundation of the world, even as creatures, to have Christ living in us, and to be in Christ before God the Father. We were created for hope, because Christ is our hope, the earnest expectation of all creation, to be redeemed from sin, death, and the enemy, to receive His life and glory in all things.

 

"But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation." (1 Thessalonians 5: 8)

 

and

 

"3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 5: 3-5)