My hope

Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, - Titus 1.1-2

Titus was another of Paul's 'preacher boys.' Paul had sent him to Crete to plant churches there. This letter is another one of those sent to a church planting leader telling him what the local church should be and how it should function. 

Paul had a real mentor's heart. Before he began to give Titus his instrcutions he gave him some encouragement. 

I like the fact that he prefaces his letter with the words 'truth which accords with godliness.' Truth and godliness go hand in hand and you can't have one without the other. If we are walking in the truth we are going to walk in godliness. That's pretty clear. 

But on to the encouragement. Paul writes to Titus that he serves God with an assured hope for the future. His hope was, when all  is said and done, there will be eternal life. He was assured that God promised it before the world began. What makes it extra special is that God cannot lie. So if He promised eternal life so our hope is not a vague wistfullness, but an absolute assurance. Our God always keeps his promises. 

I love this old gospel song that surely expresses Paul's hope: 

My hope is in the Lord

Who gave Him-self for me

And paid the price

Of all my sin at Calvary

CHORUS:

For me He died;

For me He lives,

And everlasting life

And light He freely gives.

No merit of my own

His anger to suppress,

My only hope is found

In Jesus' righteousness.

And now for me He stands

Before the Father's throne

He shows His wounded hands

And names me as His own.

His grace has planned it all

'Tis mine but to believe

And recognize His work of love

And Christ receive.