What an awesome explanation of what HOPE is!  

Years ago I was teaching a Bible class, and I made a statement that I have regretted ever since.  I said something like, "When we get to Heaven we will no longer have any hope because right now we HOPE to see Jesus someday, and be with Him in Glory, but then we will actually be there." 

I have since realized that HOPE is eternal.  We will always be hoping and looking forward to something new, and that's kind of a hope.  But I think there is more.  What is it though?  As I was thinking about this the only thing I could come up with was that we would HOPE to see Jesus again, like every day, or even every moment of every day.

Picture this with me.  We are in Heaven, and standing around the Throne of Jesus.  Around us are millions and millions of other people all standing around the throne, yet none of us feel crowded or claustrophobic.  (We are totally focused on Jesus, what He has done, and why.  We are trying to figure out how He could love us so much as to be willing to go through what He did for us.)  And as we stand there we physically get closer and closer to the Throne because those in front of us are leaving one at a time.  Why are they leaving?  Who would ever want to leave Jesus? What would prompt anyone to leave? 

It dawned on me that the ONLY reason I, or any one of us, would want to leave Jesus is if He were to ask us to go and do something for Him.  Of course, then we will WANT to leave so that we can bring even more honor to this ONE who has so much love for me, for us. 

As each of us leave the Throne and Jesus we will be extremely excited and even happy to go, but we will always have that HOPE that we get done quickly so that we can come back to praise and worship Him.

Here Jesus sits, on His Throne high above everyone, asking us to go do something for Him.  Why?  Is He just trying to show everyone that He is BOSS and that we had better run do exactly as He is asking?  Or is it because He knows that as we do these things it will make us even happier than we were before?  Jesus loves us.  Everyone knows that, but doesn't that also mean that He wants us to be happy?  Jesus once said that His purpose was to give us "a rich and satisfying life" (John 10;10 NLT).  Jesus asking us to do something that will bring Him more glory is not a request for His benefit, it's for us!

WOW, What an AWESOME GOD!  How unselfish and wise!  How loving and patient!  How gentle and humble! It's no wonder that we now have HOPE, and it's no wonder that we will ALWAYS have HOPE!  It's no wonder that we will ALWAYS WANT to be around the Throne of Jesus praising Him!

JESUS, we PRAISE YOU now and forever!!!