2 Corinthians 5 is packed full of deep and rich theological truth; most notably, for our journey today, is the theme he lays out for us of hope. Paul speaks openly about the reality of groaning, mortality, and a deep longing for what God has prepared (or maybe is preparing). We know our present bodies are fragile, and life in this present time remains marked by weakness. However, believers are not left without hope or left with our longing alone. God has given us the Spirit of Christ as a “down payment” of what is yet to come.
 
Paul says we can face our days living in the middle with incredible courage because we know the future belongs to God. It’s not a courage mustered in our own energy as we pretend things aren’t the way they are, or that we have it all figured out. If it were, it would make little sense for him to say, “we walk by faith, not by sight.” Faith in Jesus orders our lives around the faithfulness of God even though the fulfillment of His promises isn’t yet fully visible or realized.
As Paul often does, he then takes this concept to an incredibly practical level. “Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him.” (v. 9) Waiting for God to complete His plan doesn’t minimize the importance of our current obedience; it makes faithfulness now even more meaningful. We’re not just killing time until Jesus finishes His work; we’re learning to live as people who already belong to Him.
 
The love of Christ then compels us to no longer live for ourselves, but the reconciliation God has accomplished through Him reshapes how we live and move among others. This is the way of life between the times. Sure, we can’t see everything that’s coming, but we know the One who controls it, the One who has promised it. So, we keep waking, serving, reconciling, obeying, and seeking to please Jesus.
 
Hope becomes visible through our faithfulness to His way.

Are there areas in your life where you are allowing what you can see to determine what you believe god is up to? What act of ordinary faithfulness could you embrace today, or this week, to demonstrate that your life is being shaped by God’s promised future?

Father, teach me to walk by faith. Thank you for Your Spirit being the guarantee of what You’ve promised is coming. Make it my heart’s desire to please You with my ordinary choices today. Help my love for You shape the way I live among others. Amen.  

“Today I can walk by faith by faithfully __________________.”