“Now hope that is seen is not hope.” This passage from Romans is always puzzling to me, and even more so the longer I'm around new mothers and children. I've seen mothers hope to carry a child to the point of groaning with the pains of childbirth. I've seen their pregnancies go to full term and then watched them hold their new babies for the first time. Their hopes were not only seen, but were so tangible there weren't words to describe them.

While we hope against hope for many things in life, our adoptions as children of God are already finalized. It is our adoption that we cling to when we feel there is no hope. As the Spirit grants us patience, we are able to patiently hope and faithfully pray for what we do not yet have. For with our adoption comes the promise that absolutely nothing can ever or will ever separate us from the love of our perfect Parent. And by that hope we are saved.

By Ashley-Anne Masters from D365