Hopeless... But Now Having A Hope That Maketh Not Ashamed

Hopelessness is when we lose all confidence in ourselves, other people and have no sense that any powerful being cares or notices us in a real way.

"Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands-- remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." - Ephesians 2:11-12 ESV

That was us before... after believing in Jesus we have this...

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." - Romans 5:1-5 ESV

'...hope that maketh not ashamed...' (KJV language) is a realization that because we are JUSTIFIED in Christ (verse 1) God notices us. We have access. We have a place to stand. We 'rejoice in hope of the glory of God'... God isn't going to remain invisible... His glory is a revealing of His brightness and person...

This hope has nothing to do with other people or how we perform or succeed... love gets poured into us... our sufferings are producing room for that love... we don't suffer because we are forgotten... God Is going to be revealed because we are not forgotten... We have peace 'with' God. That is not just a cessation of conflict. It is a shared peace.

"Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope! Hold me up, that I may be safe and have regard for your statutes continually!" - Psalm 119:116-117 ESV

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