Daily Devotional

Waiting in hope for what we do not see…

The day is coming when God will declare, for the entire world to see, that we are His sons and daughters.  We do not know the exact day or moment that this will happen but we wait patiently in hope.

“Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”  (Romans 8:23-25 NIV)

What a glorious day it will be when our bodies are completely redeemed.  Christ paid the price of our redemption and we have received the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that some day we will receive the completeness of our salvation.  (Ephesians 1:13-14)  At a future moment in time we will be loosed from the weaknesses, frailties, sin and decay that have so affected us physically, emotionally and spiritually.  We will then receive a glorified body.  For the children of God who have died, their bodies will be raised.  For those who are alive, their bodies will be instantly changed.  (1 Corinthians 15:52-54)  We all will be gathered into the presence of the Lord.  (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)  God will declare for all to see that we are heirs with Christ.  What a blessed hope and glorious day that will be.

At this moment, we have not yet received the completion of our salvation.  The word “redemption” means a releasing as a result of paying a ransom.  The idea expressed by the word in this verse is a complete unloosing.  Today we are freed from the slavery of sin.  But our bodies still bear the affects and results of sin.  We are as it were decaying and dying.  But there is coming a day when our bodies will be completely unloosed and will be glorified.  We will receive a body that is not subject to decay and death as a result of sin.  We will receive this body at the appearing of Christ when He comes for His sons and daughters.  (1 John 3:2)

“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.”

Today we are to live in light of this great hope.  Christ is coming and He will give us the fullness of our salvation.  Each day as we live in expectation of Christ’s return, it purifies our life.  Are you living in the hope of Christ’s return?  How is your life different today as you focus on this hope?