The hope of heaven often sounds like this, “I don’t know what it will be like, but I know it will be great.” Often the person that says that is trying really hard to get excited about images of harps, halos, and cloud cars, and a never-ending hymn sing.

However, if we first embrace the fact that resurrection is the stamp of God’s new world (as I’ve mentioned in a previous blog) then we will be given new perspective and see evidence of that new world breaking through. Every time you find healing from brokenness, every time your tears are dried up and peace put in their place, every time you experience forgiveness after you have wronged someone or offer forgiveness when you have been wronged, every time a person in need is offered a drink or a meal or a bed; these are all evidence of God’s new world breaking into our broken world.

Here, then, is our hope – if I can see the evidence of God’s new world now, I can have assurance of what the future holds. The preacher who wrote Hebrews put it this way, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

We can be sure in our hope because Jesus got up out of the grave, defeated death, and started a brand new world! However, hope is often reduced to a wish! I wish I could be reconciled with that person. I wish we had enough food on the table. I wish my dad would be healed. I wish I would be healed. We don’t have to reduce hope to a wish! We can rest on the assurance of God’s promise to bring a new world. One day you will be reconciled! One day everyone will have what they need! One day my dad will be healed! And one day I will be healed! Being hopeful is not wishful thinking, it is being certain of God’s future!

Every situation that seems “dead” and all hope is lost is pregnant with potential for resurrection! And that gives us hope!