Psalm 27:13

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!

Abba,

Hope.

Not the uncertain but earnest desires of an ever changing life in a broken world.

Rather, the confident expectation of a not yet but future and changeless truth.

The firm assurance of a imminent reality not yet seen, but confidently waited for.

This is hope.

The hope we have, the hope that scripture speaks of is a confident expectation of that which is unquestionable even while it remains yet to be.  It is upon this hope that David places his gaze.  He may right now be facing opposition, adversity, and war.  He may right now be facing an adversary who slanders his name and seeks his demise.  He may be facing heart wrenchingly difficult circumstances, but this is temporary.  They will not prevail.  They will not gain purchase over his life.  Because his hope is found in you.  His hope is not in circumstance.  His hope is not in man.  His hope is, You, an eternal, unchanging, uncontested God.  You are his hope, his fortress, his defense, his security.  You are his assurance. 

His hope?

That he will LOOK upon you in the land of the living.

His hope is that HE WILL SEE YOU with physical sight. 

There will come a day, Abba, when our faith will be sight.  Our faith and hope will be a present reality.  Right now, we look through the haze of pain, suffering, grief, loneliness, strife, adversity, and confusion.  But the promise of your word is that one day we will see through eyes of flesh what now we only see through eyes of faith.  What a glorious day that will be!  Oh Abba, how we long for this day.  How we ache and groan for the culmination of your plan and will!  How we long to walk in the halls of your home, at your side, in your presence…in the land of the living. 

Until then, Abba, may this hope grant us strength to persist.  May this hope; may the temporary nature of our struggles; may the confident expectation of your future coming; may the hope of your presence nourish, sustain, and strengthen us for the daily sloughs of this life.  May this hope grant confidence to face opposition without fear.  May this hope infuse joy into our souls. May this hope bring peace in a world of chaos. 

What have we to fear?  What have we to dread?

With this hope as our strength…

With you as our defense…

With your tent as our refuge…

Our hope is secure.

We have not to wonder

We have not to question

We have not to doubt

With eyes of faith and hope, let us stand fast and look with confidence and joy for the day when hope will cease, when faith is complete and we stand in the land of the living under the direct gaze of your physical eyes.

Yes, Abba.  We wait with joy and hope for your glorious appearing.

The steps of this life are taken upon this truth.  With every step of faith, we are ever nearer to this reality.

Thus, for now we hope.

Soon, ever so soon, we shall see and our hope will be vindicated.

Romans 8:18–25 (ESV): Future Glory

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.