OUR BLESSED HOPE

People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. —Hebrews 6:16-20

             God made a promise and God made an oath— He cannot lie.  We who have called on Jesus have this hope which is “an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”  This hope is Jesus who has entered “the inner sanctuary behind the curtain” and is “our forerunner.  He “entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”  Look what Jesus has done for us—

“Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” —Hebrews 10:11-14

Truly, “The words ‘it was credited to him’ were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:23-25).  Yes, Jesus “is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2) and now “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).  And yes, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time” (II Timothy 1:9).  Jesus is “the blessed hope” that will return one day (Titus 2:13).

Dear Father, we rejoice in and wait for our blessed hope who is “an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”  As we wait, may we be faithful to Your desires for us by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son.  Oh, how we look forward to that day.  Even so come, Lord Jesus!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f2FXxDVO6w&list=RD9f2FXxDVO6w&start_radio=1