What are we waiting for?

“For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.” (Galatians 5:5, ESV)

None of us like to wait. We tent to be an impatient bunch, or perhaps it is just me. As I drive down the road, I experience so many people are breaking the speed limit, weaving in and out of traffic, and running red-lights. Yes, I admit that I get caught up driving a few miles per hour too fast also. But as I think about it, what does and extra 10 miles per hour mean on an in-town trip? Does it save a minute, perhaps two?

I remember going to a fast-food place and getting frustrated with the wait in line. Yes, we choose fast-food, not for the ambiance or even the food (with the exception of Chick-Fil-A), but for the convenience, to get food fast.

In our society we have lost the grace of delayed gratification. When we want something, we have to have it now. Saving for the expenditure is out and borrowing is in.

However, there is one thing in which we must be patient but also eager to experience. Paul wrote of that here. It is “for the hope of righteousness.” We wait for this to occur eagerly, but also with patience for we know that it is a life-long journey.

The pursuit of righteousness is an interesting topic. For in one sense, all believers have been counted as righteous by faith at the moment of salvation. Remember that “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Galatians 3:6, ESV). Moreover, at that moment of faith, the Holy Spirit began a work in us by which we increasingly display the righteousness of God in our lives as we mature in Christlikeness.

Yet there is another aspect of righteousness. It is that ultimate perfection when we experience glory. It is that moment when righteousness and hope are fully realized. Paul also wrote of our wait for this time in his letter to the Romans.

“. . . we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:23, ESV)

John wrote,

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2, ESV)

This is a time for which we cannot wait, but we wait patiently, with eager expectation. In this we wait by faith.

It is for this reason that we have hope. Our hope is not an “I hope so.” It is an “I know so.” The reason that we have such confidence is that God has promised us this glorious future. We have the confident assurance by faith in the one who has granted us His grace. Jesus raised from the grave is our “living hope” (1 Pet 1:3).

The contemporary group King and Country recently produced a song titled, “What Are We Waiting For,” in which these are the key lyrics of the song. The song presents a challenge for us. If we are patiently awaiting this glorious hope by faith, would we not be inspired to be the light that would draw people to the Lord? So why are we waiting to be that light in a world of darkness?