In the northern hemisphere, ancient mariners used the Pole Star, which is also known as Polaris or the North Star, for navigation. The reason they could do this is that this star stays relatively fixed above the North Pole, and as such gave them a fixed point of reference.
I Timothy 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope. [ESV]
Jesus Christ is called the “hope” of Christians and this has served God’s people as a “Pole Star” since the Messiah was first promised in the Book of Genesis. It is a fixed promise that was not going to change. Well, even though the Messiah has come, Christ Jesus still continues to be our hope. Note what the angels said to the apostles when he was taken up to God.
Acts 1:10, 11
And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” [ESV]
Just as soon Jesus Christ was taken up, God immediately gave his people the promise of his return – another fixed point they could absolutely rely upon. It is this hope that every Christian should keep in focus – just as the mariners kept the Pole Star in focus. Not only does it continue to provide much needed daily hope but it also keeps us from drifting into dangerous waters.
Hebrews 6:18, 19
So that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain. [ESV]
The hope that God has set before us gives us refuge and provides a sure and steadfast anchor. A vessel relies on an anchor to ensure that it isn’t shipwrecked on rocks in rough water, and at the same time, that it does not drift away in calm water. It keeps the ship right where it needs to be. The promise of Christ’s return is intended to do the very same. We have been anchored to God by the work of Jesus Christ and the return of his Son to gather the church is to be our daily hope. It is what gets us through the hard times; it is what sustains us in normal every day living. A day should hardly pass when we haven’t thought about the hope of his return.
I Peter 1:3, 4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. [ESV]
We have been born again to a living hope. It is to be a living hope – something that we keep in the forefront of our minds. There are numerous references in the New Testament to the return of Jesus Christ and the impact that it ought to have in our lives. Here are just a few:
We are:
- to rejoice in hope
- to dwell in hope
- to live patiently in light of the hope
- to be comforted and to comfort each other because of the hope
- to be thankful to God for the hope
- to never be moved away from the hope
- to not be sorrowful as others who have no hope
- to look with anticipation for that hope and the appearing of Jesus Christ
- to hold fast to that hope
- to always be ready to tell others about the hope
May you keep the hope of Christ’s return in daily focus.