“because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,” (Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬)

People hope. We hope for the best, hope that something turns out our way, hope for everything to run smoothly. It’s in our very nature to hope.

But this hope is just that—hoping. We’re simply crossing our fingers and knocking on wood. We don’t know if the outcome is going to be what we desire. We’re unsure if things will unfold how we please. At best, our hope is just a hope.

And yet, as Christians, we still hope. But our hope—our heavenly hope!—is far more different. It’s not wishful thinking, or a crossing of fingers. It’s not even a “probably.” Our hope is guaranteed, secure, and certain because of Jesus’s finished work. Our hope is laid up for us in heaven.

That means we can go through our Christian life knowing for certain that our future home, our heavenly hope, is secure. There’s no maybe. God has secured our hope in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Because of that, Christ is our eternal “hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

We don’t have to wish upon a shooting star or toss a quarter into a well. Because what God promises is true, we can rest assured that our hope of glory—our salvation, our redemption—is secure. Our future hope is as certain as Christ’s perfect work.

So, let us thank God our future hope does not rest on our feeble shoulders, our indecisive minds, or our wishy-washy desires. Our hope rests on nothing less than Christ’s righteousness! And this blessed hope is sure and awaits us fully in heaven.

How, then, shall we live in light of this assured hope, this blessed future reality?

Pursue holiness fueled by the gospel. Knowing I had a blessed hope awaiting me in glory allows me the freedom to pursue holiness not by my own strength, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. Which, in reality, our hope in glory is simply the gospel fulfilled.

Share the gospel. Don’t we want more people to share in this heavenly hope with us? One of the most impactful ways of living in light of our blessed hope, our salvation, is by proclaiming the gospel to the masses. Though I understand it’s difficult, awkward, and even scary at times, but we Christians lose out when we neglect evangelism.

Rest in the gospel. Are you struggling? Rest. Are you weary? Rest. Are you fighting, gritting your teeth, trying to muster up the strength to keep going? Rest. We find ultimate rest in believing that Jesus lived a perfect life on our behalf and died the death we deserved. We can rest in the gospel.

Friends, let us thank our Heavenly Father for this heavenly hope. We don’t have to hope for the best or rely on wishful thinking—we have the gospel.