Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves. Each one of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself. On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.
Romans 15:1-4
If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world. – CS Lewis
If I find myself hoping for earthly things, none of which seem to satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made to find my hope in another world.
The Christian hope is not a cheap hope. It is not the immature hope which is optimistic because it does not see the difficulties and has not encountered the experience of life. It might be thought that hope is the prerogative of the young; but the great artists did not think that. When Watts painted “Hope” he drew her as a battered and bowed figure with one string left upon her lyre. The Christian hope…is not hope in the human spirit, in human goodness, in human achievement; it is hope in the power of God. – William Barclay
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself: I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply you. And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute. Because God wanted to show his unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
Hebrews 6:13-19
Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus, so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice.
Romans 15:5-6
The world’s hope is the pursuit of comfort in this life while the Christian’s hope is in joy for eternity, the for glory of God.
Therefore welcome one another, just as Christ also welcomed you, to the glory of God.
Romans 15:7
