Hope Surprise

“And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Rom. 8:23-25).

Romans 8:23-25 is one of those verses many of us have heard time and again. It is familiar. Yet, read closer. It is surprising. If we wrote it today, we most likely would not have penned it the way Paul did. Instead:  

“We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, rejoice, rejoice! eagerly because we have the adoption as sons…”

“For in this hope we were saved, so we just dally until that other-worldly hope is realized….”

“We ourselves, our finite beings, groan inwardly, hating the wait, longing to be past this…”

“Now hope that is seen is hope; it is something we can bank on.”

“If we hope for what we do not see, we wait impatiently…we wait with doubt.”

Yet... Read it again. Surprise after surprise jumps off.

Surprise in what we don't have. What is the hope? This hope is not a desire, wish, longing. It is not whatever we hope for (easy for us consumerists to read our desire lists into this verse), be it health, wealth, blessing, prosperity. But if this hope is to transform our here and now, if we are to wait properly before the Lord, we must be certain of what this hope is not and what it is! If we define this hope as the fulfillment of one of our dreams, a good job, the relationship mended, etc., then we become the author. Subtly, we become the demander. “Lord, I’ve waited patiently. Have I fulfilled the quota now? You owe me X now.” It robs God of his lordship. It robs us of a deep trust and intimate relationship as it can subtly creep into anger rising from unfulfilled demands. But it robs us of the deep hope Paul expresses here as well. It undermines the glory of what we hope for—and it is the nature of the hope for which we wait that transforms the waiting.

Surprise in what we do have. What is the hope? Heaven, haven, himself!!!! We desire something that will last but a mere breath--a job, a relationship, a dream--and he gives us time without end! We desire something to satisfy a mere heartbeat--and he gives us himself, the All-Satisfying One! Moreover, it is something we already have. This hope is possession. Desire, longing, wish—these are not based on what we already have. Paul is adamant we possess this hope already. It is ours! Because of this certainty, we wait patiently. We need not sit on the edge of our seat, anxious that it might not come true, that it might be taken from us, that we might lose it. It is ours. This hope is sharpened by experience. We already know him and know his blessings.  

Surprise in the pure gloriousness of this hope. John in Revelation, Isaiah in his chapters on the new creation, Paul, and Peter—words fail them. John’s apocalyptic imagery is the closest he can get. Ezekiel can only be baffled by rainbows, colors, wheels, living creatures. The hope is salvation, the hope is the consummation of our wedding with the Lord, the hope is transformation, completion of union with him. The nature of it transforms our waiting—it is so glorious. It is worth waiting for. It is so wonderful, things pale in comparison. Sufferings become light and momentary. Joys are mere reflections.

It is surprising in its time-dimension and this-world dimension. This hope is unseen. We may think this dims the hope, lessens it. But it only makes it more glorious. For, as the author of Hebrews reminds us, what we see is a mere copy of the eternal. What is unseen is eternal. It is this that adds to its gloriousness. It is this that adds to its certainty, for what is eternal is part of God’s purposes, declared, certain. Not ours, but so certain! More certain that tomorrow, than our plans, as certain as the Anchor Unchanging God!

Surprising in it's deep relationship. This hope is of the Spirit, confirmed by, and sealed by the Spirit. Paul writes this bit on hope as part of the Spirit-filled life—this hope cannot be divorced from the Spirit. He whispers to our heart. He whets our appetite. He is our seal, promising its certainty.This hope is for a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. Not a mere static thing, it is a relational hope, already with the Spirit, already loved by the Father, already in union with the Son, but waiting for our wedding!

So this God-defined salvific, possessed, experienced, glorious unseen eternal hope—this transforms our moments right now. Because God has given us this hope (objective, gift of salvation), we are people of hope, who live by hope, live on hope (subjective, response). It is our hope that people notice and ask about (1 Pet. 3:15).

So, how does it affect our world, our daily life? Drinking coffee, washing dishes, the doctor’s waiting room, the visit with the lawyer, the phone ringing with desperate news, the birth announcement? Trials are light and momentary; they are purposeful. We have the Spirit whispering to us in the midst of them. Joys are but a foretaste. Washing dishes can be done to the glory of the Lord and in faithful service to him, love for the family, and stewardship of his gifts.

This hope does not make us otherworldly. Instead, this hope transforms our life here and now. We engage in this life, knowing it impacts something far more longer and far more greater. No matter how weary, how tired, we will not give up on seeing his kingdom come on this earth. We do not forsake our posts of service and our posts of being a city on a hill (Phil. 1:24-25). We engage with the world, knowing that all of creation is groaning so all of creation will be wrapped up in this transformation, all of creation will participate in this hope. Decisions, priorities, values, relationships are all shaped. May the Spirit remind us as we decide and drink and live and serve of this hope!