Hope

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.  - Romans 15:13

Can I admit something?  As I get older, I seem to have a growing suspicion of the nature of humanity.  I recently heard someone describe themselves as “a hopeful pessimist.”   I have taken to describe myself that way also.  I bristle when I hear people speaking about how humanity is ‘evolving’ into something better. Balderdash.  Read the newspaper (yah I know, most people don’t read newspapers anymore).  Whatever your source of news is, pay attention.  The stories about human depravity just get weirder and weirder.

Yet, as a follower of Christ, I am told to have hope.  As matter of fact, Paul prayed that people would be filled with God’s hope, joy and peace.  Sometimes I get one of these.  Rarely two at the same time.  All three?  Uh, uh, no way.

Yet, this passage is a great reminder that we have a great “God of hope” that wants to fill us with “all joy and peace.”   So, I’m guessing that when I am not so filled with those elements… the blame does not rest on God.  I need, more than often, check where my heart is.

It’s easy to get lost in skepticism. It’s easy to write off humanity when I read about the latest crime/murder/war/idiot.  It’s easy.

And yet…I rest in the fact that God has not written me off.  Easter is living proof of that fact.  And when I tend to write off humanity, I stand in judgment myself.  Someone once said, “Judge not, that you be not judged.”  And that someone went to the cross for me...and the rest of humanity.  Humanity…good, bad or ugly.  Loved by Christ.

And…may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope….