Living Hope

In a continuation of my post from April 21, and as we are now at Good Friday, my thoughts turn to the eternal significance of the coming Sabbath Day. Having asked Jesus into my heart nearly forty- two years ago, and having spent most (but not all) of those years attending worship somewhere, the work of Christ on the cross and his resurrection have long been the foundation of my faith in him. We remember his words to the disciples and others, concerning the destruction of the "temple" and his promise to raise it up in three days. Those words were not just an introduction to a miracle feat of construction, not only a prophecy of his future, but a glimpse into God's plan; the plan for all those who call on Jesus' name and trust him as Lord and savior.

I have never doubted the resurrection. As a young boy of seven, I knew that my dad was in heaven after his fatal accident and that as a follower of Christ I would see him again in glory. As time passed, the resurrection had new meaning. New bodies, no more sorrow, pain, crying, nor death there. That our Spirits lived forever, and at physical death would be at once with the Father was beyond question, and certainly something for which to look forward. The resurrection had an impact at Christ's second coming. In the interim, I knew to trust him daily, but in many ways I was still trying to live as one who was desperate to be good, and failing miserably.

Today, the resurrection of Christ, still the foundation of my faith in him, serves to remind me of my rebirth, the passing from spiritual death to spiritual life. In him. I still revel in the thought of seeing all those who have gone before me, my dad especially, and the idea of a new body that won't get sick or hurt or ache is really appealing. Likewise, life without heartache, disappointment, fear, and death will be beautiful. Almost as beautiful as the most important thing about the resurrection. Living in the here and now, with all the pain, sorrow, sickness, fear, and death in the hope granted to us in Christ Jesus.

The journey to spiritual life began for me in 1969, and it is not over by any means. Each step of the way, as I tried and failed to figure life here out for myself, instead of relying completely on God, little by little, he gave more and more lessons in his grace and mercy. I came to realize that what I do here, though important for the kingdom, is nothing compared to what I am in him, and the benefits this broken world can bestow pales when examined against the riches in Christ that we, as the adopted sons and daughters of the Most High, will enjoy in that day.

But what about the here and now? Life is hard, and each of us, every one, experiences the brokenness resulting from sin in a myriad of ways. How can we have hope for today? Tomorrow? The disciples likely thought the same thing on that Sabbath evening long ago. Jesus had been arrested before their eyes, beaten, scourged and crucified. They saw him lowered from the cross, and they knew he was dead. They knew where he had been laid in the tomb. As they gathered the next day, their fear mounting, how many scenes replayed in their minds adding to their fear of what was to come?

So too, we face the things in this life as if alone all too often. Surely, Christ is Lord, he is sovereign, but do we believe he is over all things? All things. All things. When Cynth and I received my cancer diagnosis almost a year from the time her father was diagnosed with the cancer that ended his life the December before, there was a moment of thinking, "No. This can't be." In the intervening months, we have had moments like that, some giving way to fearful questions. But way back at the start of this chapter, we gave this all back to God to use as he willed for us, and we rest in the hope that our new life in him has been preparing us for all these many years for just a moment as this.

We still are imperfect, and imperfectly trusting him each day. But one thing we know without doubt: God, who purposes to regenerate, reconcile and restore the believer, calling him or her from darkness to light, death to life, raised Jesus, his Christ, from the dead so that we might know that now in this earthly life we have this hope that he is with us always and whatever we face here in this life is no match for him who is sufficient to meet those things.  In this we persevere toward the riches of his glory that await. Yes, the resurrection into God's glory when Christ returns is important because it is our eternal hope. But we also have this hope for today, this living hope, that he who is faithful is already victorious and he stirs us to press on in his calling in this living hope here and now.

From Cynth and me to you, we pray you have a blessed Resurrection Day!