As followers of Jesus we are a people with hope within creation and also a people who provide hope for creation. Paul tells the Romans that we ‘wait eagerly’ for the day when we experience the physical redemption of our body through the resurrection and that creation itself will also experience our freedom as God comes to put right all that has gone wrong. ‘In hope we have been saved.’ (Romans 8:24.)

Hope within creation
Because our hope is centred on God redeeming our whole person – body, soul, and spirit – and not just the saving of our souls to be floating around in some disembodied state; and because creation itself is to be redeemed – a new heaven and a new earth – then this is a hope within and for creation. Of course, we are not able to see what this will look like from our current vantage point (it wouldn’t be ‘hope’ if we could). However, we can glimpse something of the future as we look to the past in the life of Jesus. In him – and in his resurrection especially – we can see God’s plans for the whole of creation. He is the first fruit of all God will do. In order to have hope for the future, therefore, we do well when we look back to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Providing hope for creation
As we live our life full of hope, as we walk confidently that a better future is planned, then we provide hope for creation. Part of being revealed to creation as the children of God is, I believe, displaying this hope; displaying what God has already done within us. In us creation can see in part what God will do fully one day.

But some struggle with hope – and I’m one of those people. For some of us hope can be a fragile thing, a thing easily extinguished by life events. Living without hope is far harder, however, than living with it. And choosing to let go of disappointment and allow hope to flourish within our heart once again can be so liberating.

Which disappointment are you holding onto today that is responsible for keep hope subdued within you?


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