We often use the word “hope” to describe something that we are wishing for. You might not have to think that far back to remember pulling a present with your name on it from under the tree, hoping to find a specific gift under the wrapping paper. But the kind of hope that the Bible describes is more than wish or a want. It’s a promise. 

Throughout Scripture, God’s promises form the foundation for our hope, from His promise to bless the nations through Abraham, to the promise of a coming savior, to the promise that Jesus gave before His crucifixion that He will return for us.

It’s this final promise that the apostle Paul points us to in Titus 2:13: “Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” In this passage, Paul is calling us to be self-controlled and to live with godly purpose as we wait for Christ’s return.

To live this way means more than simply enduring. It means that we should live every day in
anticipation of His coming, allowing that hope to shape the way we love and serve others. It also gives us confidence to rely on God in every circumstance. So when we walk through seasons of life that feel dark and hopeless, we can rest, knowing that our future is anchored in the steadfast promise of our blessed hope.