​Hope Is A Future Word | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

1 Thessalonians 4:16–18: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.”

​In this world of dark depression, adversity, and confusion, there is one word that rises above all others, and it is the most valuable word known to mankind. The word is hope. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an atheist who denies the existence of God or an agnostic who believes only what they see; we all wake up every morning because of that one word: hope. 

Hope keeps you moving forward no matter what you have gone through. Jesus is your hope, and the Word of God is His promise to you. Your promise of salvation is your hope in eternity in the presence of God. Hope is a word of the future. Hope is not a present-in-the-moment type of word; hope is always in the future, and all our hope is in Christ.  Paul gives you a hope to be excited about: Christ’s imminent return. You are to be excited and look forward to it. ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford
Many of these lessons are in my new devotional book, “Warrior of the Cross, 40 Day Discipleship Challenge & Journal,” which grew out of my own experience of a time of darkness, desperation, and healing, and the hope I needed in Christ.