When asked, “How much money does it take to make a man happy?” John D. Rockefeller answered, “Just one more dollar.” Money cannot buy you hope or happiness. If money is the goal, the more a person has, the more they want! I once spoke to a man who became a millionaire before he was fifty years old, but his son was very ill. He told me, “All my money can’t buy my son’s health! I would give it all away just to make him healthy.” Money could not buy my friend’s son health; he could not put his hope in his earthly treasures. But because my friend was a follower of Christ, he had riches that were not of this world, and he put his hope in them.

In Romans 2:4, Paul speaks of the riches of God’s goodness, which include His forbearance and longsuffering. Paul adds to these riches in other places, mentioning the riches of His wisdom (Rom. 11:33), the riches of His grace (Eph. 2:7), and the riches of His mercy (2:4). The riches we have in Christ are infinite (3:8), glorious (3:16), and abundant (Rom. 10:12). They come from the heart of a loving God.

Paul reminds each of us that our hope is deep and full; it can be enjoyed here and now (see Eph. 1:3). He goes on to list some facts of these blessings in which we are to hope. We have been chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world (v. 4); we have a hope because of the grace of God (vv. 4–6); and we have forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ (vv. 7–8). These are the facts of this hope that every believer in Christ has. This hope cannot be bought or earned. It is a free gift attained through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. All that is required of you, is to enjoy it today!