A Biblical Look at "Hope" part 1

 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast,...               Hebrews 6:19

"Hope" means "a desire for, or an expectation of, good, especially when there is some confidence of fulfillment." It is used that way both in common English and in the Bible. However, the Bible often uses the word "hope" in another way-to refer to the special expectation of good that God has in store for each Christian in the future.

Today, the ordinary use of "hope" allows for the possibility that what is hoped for will not come to pass. However, when the Bible uses the word "hope" to refer to things that God has promised, the meaning of "hope" shifts from that which has a reasonable chance of coming to pass to that which will absolutely come to pass. To be a useful anchor, hope must hold fast.  

 God’s use of the anchor to represent the believer’s Hope is appropriate and poignant. An anchor keeps a boat from drifting away with the currents or being blown away in a storm. Thus, using an anchor to describe the purpose of the Christian hope makes perfect sense. When a Christian has a clear picture of what he is hoping for in the future, especially the rewards that the Lord will give to those who have earned them, it helps to keep him from "drifting away" from his commitment and becoming involved with the sinful pleasures and abundant temptations offered by the world. It also helps to prevent him from being "blown away" from God during the storms of life.
 

continued...