FRIDAY August 8, 2025

Our Blessed Hope

...looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Titus 2:13-14

What is our blessed hope? Christians have the hope of eternal life, yes, but we should also be looking for the blessed hope––the coming of the Lord. Paul had an anchored hope. Even though he was going to die at the hand of Nero, he believed that at any given moment the Lord could come.

Paul passed on his blessed hope to Titus, who would carry on the ministry in his absence. Titus was given all authority to teach everything the aged Apostle had written in this short, pastoral letter. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you (Titus 2:15). As a preacher, he was not to be a storyteller, but a teller of God’s truth. He was to set things in order in the church through proclamation, application, and correction, by the Word of God.

When believers live their lives with a blessed hope in the Lord’s coming, they remain focused on eternal things. I love that! Having an eternal mindset will help believers not to get entangled with the cares of this world. It is important to be steadfast and immovable in all we do for Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:58). If we want a sharpened focused on eternity, then we need to keep looking for the blessed hope!

Our eyes must be upon Jesus. He laid down His life for us! He is the One who has redeemed us––through His shed blood on the Cross, we are made pure––as white as snow. We belong to Him; He calls us His own special people. We are not of this world; we are only passing through until we reach our final destination––heaven.

Meanwhile, as believers, we have a lot to do for God’s Kingdom. We need a renewed zeal to serve the Living God. When believers live in the light of Jesus’ return, they will be inspired to do good works, because they love Him.

Hope is like an anchor. Our hope in Christ stabilizes us in the storms of life, but unlike an anchor, it does not hold us back.
~Charles R. Swindoll~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!