while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
Titus 2:13 NIV
As believers in the Lord Jesus, we have a great hope. For us, hope is more than a wishful thought. It is something that we look forward to with great expectation and assurance. It is not something we have yet received. But we have confidence that we will receive it in the future.
But what is this hope that we have? The Scripture tells us that it is the redemption of our bodies (Rom. 8:23-24), the hope of glory (Col. 1:27), the hope of salvation (1 Thess. 5:8, Tit. 3:7), and the hope of eternal life (Tit. 1:2).
In Titus 2:13, we see that our hope will be fulfilled in the glorious appearance of Jesus Christ, our great God and Savior. And in 2 Thessalonians 2:1, Paul tells us that at the coming of our Lord Jesus, we will be gathered to him. Our great hope as believers is in the return of the Lord Jesus to gather us up to himself. That is the salvation and eternal life that we look forward to.
Since our hope lies in the coming of our Lord for us, how should we live our lives as we wait? We should live holy lives as we wait. Turning away from ungodliness and worldly pleasures (Tit. 2:12). And setting our hope fully on the grace that will be brought to us (1 Pet. 1:13), holding tightly to it (Heb. 10:23). Our blessed hope in Christ should impact every aspect of our lives as we wait for its fulfillment.
