Despair lays like a fog on America. Even the young, those
who are generally most hopeful for the future, are skeptics when it comes for
hoping for a better tomorrow. There are ‘wars
and rumors of war,’ grimly taking life and spreading destruction. Governments
around the globe are corrupt and ineffective in equal measures. Economic growth
is stalled with no one suggesting that it will be improving anytime soon. The church too often appears to be taken up
with survival, fixed on irrelevance, so much so that only about 25% of
Americans say that ‘church’ is an important part of their lives. The cynical chant of old Solomon is often heard
in various forms these days: “Meaningless. Meaningless. Everything is
meaningless!”
Yet, hope remains!
Christ Jesus gives us reason to live, for the present with the promise
of heaven to come. We need not adopt an attitude of apathy (“whatever!”) to cope. We must not slide
into a life focused on grasping momentary pleasures to mask the darkness of
tomorrow. God is the strength of our
life and in Him we our hope is secure. We can accept this present darkness,
dealing with the challenges with honest assessment, without giving up to
despair. Habakkuk preached to the people of God in a time of great sorrow, with
a grim future; yet he was hopeful. He sang,
"Even though the fig trees have no
blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop
fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the
fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will
be joyful in the God of my salvation. The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He
will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains."
(Habakkuk 3:17-19, NLT)
Please, let’s not play the part of fools that sing bravely
while ignoring the perils or problems, that refuse to deal with life’s
challenges as they quote mindless slogans! No matter how loud you shout, “Praise
the Lord!” it means nothing unless your faith is secured in Him. Hiding from life in religious activities is
no solution. God’s people mediate His
grace and goodness to their world by rolling up their sleeves and going to
work. They follow the Spirit’s lead into
the battle, often bloodied, but not beaten.
Has the drumbeat of despair become the cadence to which you’re
marching? Stop. Look up. Listen. Offer sincere worship. Find hope!
Here’s the word from the Word. Own it, won’t you? "Guard
your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to
offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be
quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before
God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a
dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are
many words.
When you make a vow to
God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your
vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let
your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My
vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the
work of your hands?
Much dreaming and many
words are meaningless. Therefore stand
in awe of God." (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, NIV)
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