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Our Living Hope

Have you ever been homesick? When we travel or are in a new living situation, we often long for the comforts and familiarity of home. We’re more aware of our differences in a new place and might not feel we fit into our new surroundings. In Peter’s first epistle, he wrote to the homesick and persecuted believers throughout Asia Minor and called them “elect exiles.” Peter reminded them of God’s sovereignty in their salvation and situation. They needed to look back and remember where they came from to shape their hope in where they were going.

Suffering has a way of causing us to lose sight of what’s true. Under intense persecution, these early Christians might have doubted God was in control. Have you ever felt that way when you’re going through a trial? With your eyes fixed on your pain, it’s hard to think about much else. But Peter encouraged the believers that it was God who had drawn them to himself in his great mercy and caused them to be born again, and God would give them the endurance and hope to keep going.

We, too, must remember our great salvation when we’re going through hard times. God, who did the greater work of raising Jesus from the dead, is trustworthy to complete the lesser work of delivering us through our trials. The power source behind your salvation's past, present, and future state is operating out of great mercy toward you. God has not left you; he’s granted you saving faith to be born again to a living hope.

Living hope isn’t wishful thinking but rather a confident expectation of a future good. Unlike worldly hope, where we wish things will go our way, our living hope is fixed on something certain and solid. It originates from a resurrected Savior, and, therefore, it takes on all the characteristics of his life. A believer’s living hope is growing, active, vigorous, and strong and intensifies as he or she matures in Christ.

Our living hope gets us through today and gives us confidence for tomorrow. We can look forward to the future because we have a heavenly inheritance in heaven. This inheritance is so precious that it can only be described by what it’s not; it’s imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. This inheritance, which is yours because of Jesus Christ, is being kept in the safest place in the universe just for you–your eternal home.

So, if you’re feeling homesick for your heavenly home, take comfort knowing you’re getting closer every day. Until you receive your inheritance, you can (and should) be characterized by hope. Your hope is living because your Savior is, so carry on, dear elect exile.