It's Okay to Hope

This is a “P.S.” to my previous post “What’s in a Name?” As I went upstairs to hang up the laundry, I thought about past conversations I’ve had with fellow believers about Heaven and the Second Coming of Christ. There seems to always be this heavy side note of, “But He needs to wait, because there are so many who still haven’t believed.” And, I certainly agree with that. That’s actually the reason I live where I do.

But, I want to say to all of you who may have had, in your inner thoughts, as you read what I wrote about Heaven and our Names being written in our Lord’s Book of Life, that there are people you love whose names are not there yet…it’s okay to hope in what we already know. What would happen if there were always downers in our lives with no hope? How could we go on? What could we accomplish? What is “Christ in you, the Hope of Glory” (Colossians 1:27) was just a phrase we said to lift our weary heads every once in awhile?

I will tell you with all seriousness, I would have been GONE a long time ago if that were the case. I would not have made it this long in the place I live and the work I do. It is downright discouraging, disheartening, even heartbreaking to live in a place where there is little to no hope. Children and women are exploited; officials are corrupt, the poor get sick and die for lack of resources, the weak are marginalized and abused… the list goes on and on. Let me make an analogy that might be closer to home.

When you were engaged and planning your wedding, did you go around “ho-humming” that there were people around you that weren’t engaged to be married?

When you found out you were expecting a baby, did you keep it quiet and cry your eyes out every day for all those who struggle with infertility?

When you donned that cap and gown and prepared to walk the aisle to receive your diploma, did you beat yourself up that there were so many that didn’t get this opportunity to study and succeed?

Of course, all of those things can go through our minds from time to time, especially when we have friends who are in those hard places of longing for a mate, a baby, and the chance to get a degree, but for the most part, we are rejoicing and want those around us to rejoice with us! We have a wedding shower and a sparkling white service and joyous reception. We have a baby shower and send out announcements with the pictures of that precious chubby face. We throw our tassled cap in the air and have a big graduation party with friends and family.

If we can rejoice over these hopeful and joyous events that are finite, why not rejoice and hold dear our eternal hope in Jesus Christ? Yes, we grieve over those who have yet to believe, but not all hope is lost. We grieve as those who have hope! (see I Thess. 4)

I exhort you, my brothers and sisters, hope in the Lord. It may look and seem hopeless, but as children of Almighty, Omniscient, All-loving Father God, who redeemed us for His own, we must hope. Lift up your eyes, dear one. HE is your hope… and the hope of all those who WILL join you in His glory for eternity.