Did you ever think hope could vanish as fast as sporting events did in the Coronavirus crisis?
That’s why TV channels played the Lord of the Rings over and over.
Frodo Baggins and his companions live day and night in loss, pain and darkness.
The wear and tear of goblin gnashing and countless deaths lead to Frodo’s merciful escape from the Grey Havens to a sort of heaven.
Tolkien enthusiasts adopted the catch-phrase “Frodo Lives!” to express hope in dark times.
For anyone in despair, three reminders can light up a dismal season.
1. Hope is brighter than entertainment
Sports and shopping are popular distractions.
“Sports” and “shopping” are two words that Brits use to describe American culture.
When the pandemic hit, sports all but disappeared. Shopping went online.
I believe, however, profound hope is in a person, not a team or merchandise.
Paradigm shifting hope comes from the life changing moment one sees that God is here for us in the person of Jesus Christ.
It’s a mystery to many, but it’s based on attested facts.
“We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.” Acts 10:38-41
Maybe this holiday season is a chance to look closer at substantial hope.
2. Seeing hope has never been easier
At the end of his life, C. S, Lewis published Till We Have Faces.
He retells the ancient myth of Cupid and Psyche.
Psyche’s older sister, Orual, is obsessed with seeing the unseen.
So, she tries to see the gods where Psyche lives.
But, Orual discovers she can’t see the gods until she believes.
“How can the gods meet us face to face till we have faces? I now know, Lord, why you utter no answer. You yourself are the answer.” Orual in Till We Have Faces, C.S. Lewis
The divine answer for hope is a person.
And when you see. Oh my!
“This is what we proclaim to you: what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched concerning the word of life, and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us. What we have seen and heard we announce to you too, so that you may have fellowship with us and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. Thus, we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.” 1 John 1:1-4
Christian faith flips the switch on to God-filling hope.
3. Hope beyond disaster
Hope is mentioned 254 times in the Bible.
Biblical hope is a. . .
“patient, disciplined, confident waiting for and expectation of the Lord as our Savior.” New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology
Hope is a gift of God.
It all depends on where you look and what you see.
May I pray for you in this spiraling age of despair?
Just send me an email with your thoughts or needs and I will pray for you today.
Hi Steve, I enjoy your thoughts and writing, they make me reflect on my own beliefs. So, if “hope” is mentioned 254 times in the Bible, how does that compare to “faith” or “believe”? My simple mind says, keep up the faith and believe that we will overcome all hardships. Cheers…AB
Good questions Alberto. “Faith” appears 458 times in the New International Version of the Bible and “believe” 249 times. Faith and belief play a big role in hope. You’ve inspired me to write blog posts on the significance of these words!
One of my go to axioms has been for many years “All battles are won or lost in the middle”. Whether you’re working through a tragedy, a project or a Pandemic – In the middle the adrenaline has worn off, you’re fatigued and the end is not yet in site. I think you rightly point out Steve, that it is hope that gets you through the middle.
Amen, Jeff. Great axiom and great perspective. God bless.