Hope Loves Best to Live There Most

Thomas Brooks, in his amazingly encouraging book, Heaven on Earth, writes about the nature of the Christian hope.  He explains that the first property of our hope is that it “elevates and raises the heart to live above, where its treasure is.”  He adds:

This hope is from above, and it makes the heart to live above: it is a spark of glory, and it leads the heart to live in glory.  Divine hope carries a man to heaven,
for life to quicken him,
for wisdom to direct him,
for power to uphold him,
for righteousness to justify him,
for holiness to sanctify him,
for mercy to forgive him,
for assurance to rejoice him,
and for happiness to crown him.
Divine hope takes in the pleasures of heaven beforehand; it lives in the joyful expectation of them.  It fancies to itself, as I may say, the pleasures and joys of eternity, and lives in a sweet anticipation of what it possesses by faith. Hope’s richest treasures, choicest friends, chiefest delights, and sweetest contents are in the country above; and therefore hope loves best to live there most.

Meditate on that today and see this divine hope elevate your heart heavenward!