Thought for Today
Psalm 33:18 Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
Proverbs 23:18 Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
Jeremiah 14:22 Can any idols of the nations bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Is it not you, O Lord our God? We set our hope on you, for it is you who do all this.
Matthew 12:20 He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick until he brings justice to victory. 21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope."
1 Corinthians 13:13 And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
The word ‘hope’ appears in the Bible at least 129 times, depending on the translation read. Our These Days devotionals this week have been titled “Glimmers of Hope.” Most of us have heard the phrase ‘hope springs eternal.’ An internet search yields, “The phrase ‘hope springs eternal’ originates from Alexander Pope’s poem ‘An Essay on Man’ written in the 18th century.” I’m sure you all knew that and remember the poem, but it is worth one’s while to read it again.
Currently, it is easy to lose hope. Reading a newspaper, listening to media newscasts, it is hard to find reasons to hope among all the stories of wars, rumors of wars, civil unrest and random, wanton, civil violence. I suspect that has been true for every generation. Remember, Jesus told his disciples, “Matthew 24:6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet.” Irrespective of the level of panic in the newscaster’s voice, remember, Jesus said “the end is not yet.” Histrionics sell advertising space!
Personally, I take hope from the youth of our congregation. I take hope from our own grandchildren. I entered seminary in my late 50’s; there I took hope from the young, post-baccalaureates, the 20-somethings with whom I studied. Despite all I hear and see around me, I find great cause for hope in the excitement and enthusiasm of young people. They often offer a new and different outlook on the world’s problems. They are not yet beaten down and discouraged by our continued refusal to obey Jesus’ new commandment, “John 13:34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”
As Christians, we have hope in the Incarnation, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. To paraphrase John, God loved Creation so much that God sent the Son so we might have eternal life through our faith in him. I have mentioned previously, I prefer to translate that word ‘fear’ in the Bible as ‘stand in awe of.’ “Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who stand in awe of him, on those who hope in his steadfast love.” Our Christian hope is based on our firm faith in Jesus; a faith based on God’s demonstrated love for God’s Creation.
Often, chapter 13 of Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth is read at weddings. Although not specifically addressed to Christian weddings and written to address a very different issue, it is a very apropos to weddings, especially to Christian weddings. It is a lyric ode to love. I cannot claim to have a favorite verse, they are all powerful. Sometimes as I read the news or listen to newscasts, I recall Paul’s phrase “I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” Ditto, when I hear most politicians speak. We are inundated with noisy gongs and clanging cymbals on all sides of our political and civil spectrum. Much of our public discourse needs to “put an end to childish ways.”
Paul’s ending for that chapter is especially relevant for me, “12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”
I am always hesitant to criticize or correct Paul . . . but, for me, faith, hope and love are inextricably intertwined. Christians are called, chosen to be people of love. Christians are defined by our faith in Jesus, the Christ. Our love and our faith are our source for hope; and, Christian hope does spring eternal. Think about the promise in those last words of John 3:16, “everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” How could Christians possibly not have hope?
Stay safe, abide in God’s love, trust God,
Pastor Ray