THE GOD OF HOPE

THE GOD OF HOPE!

Rom 15:13

13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

           Paul, writing to the Romans, offers multiple views of God. In Romans 15:5, He is the God of patience and consolation. The patience is His and the consolation is ours! Here the word “consolation” is paraklesis and is the same word that is translated “comforter” when Jesus promised the Holy Spirit in John 14:16. The word is made more powerful by the use of a definite article making it “THE consolation.” Consolation is in the person of Jesus Christ.

           He is the God of peace in Romans 15:33 and the word “peace” is eirene and indicates both quietness and prosperity. It also is preceded by a definite article which makes it “THE peace.” Peace, both quietness and prosperity, is in the person of Jesus Christ.

           In our text this morning, He is the God of hope. Here hope is elpis (el-pece’) and means both expectation and confidence. Once again it is forcefully preceded by a definite article. The hope that we have in eternity is an expectant hope. It is like an “expectant” mother large with child. She is confident of delivery but uncertain of the date! Many signs, both visible and known only to her, assure her that her hope is well founded.

Dear Father, all around we see signs and evidence of your soon coming. Inside us also there is a confidence that our hope is well founded. Thank you Lord, that our hope, our peace and our consolation is firmly grounded in your person. AMEN