Recently I’ve been spending a lot of time in 1st Thessalonians. It was written less than twenty years after the resurrection of Jesus.

One of the things that characterized their thought was that they were eagerly awaiting the return of Jesus. You can sense their anticipation. They thought it would happen any day.

In chapter 1, verses 9 and 10 we read about “how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”

As the letter continues, Paul encourages them to live in a way which reflects their great hope.

One of the things that makes us different from them is about two thousand years! A looonnng time has passed, and Jesus has yet to return. As a result, our hope can fade and fizzle. We can become, well, less-hopeful.

So how do you keep that hope in front of your face?

You do things that remind you about our great hope. More specifically, you regularly do things that remind you of what the new heavens and the new earth will one day be like.

For example:

You worship. When you do so you remind yourself of that great and glorious day when we will sing together in the very presence of God!

You share meals. When you do so you remind yourself of that great and glorious day when we will feast together at the heavenly banquet!

You love others. When you do so you remind yourself of that great and glorious day when we will experience reconciliation and reunion with so many others!

You take care of those who are hurting. When you do so you remind yourself of that great and glorious day when every tear will be wiped from every eye!

We don’t know the day or the hour of when Jesus will return. What we do know is that we should be faithful and ready.

We can also be hopeful. We can regularly do things that remind us what the new heavens and the new earth will one day be like. 

Hope isn’t just an idea. It’s a way of life—yours. 

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Notes:

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.