Part II in my FAITH-HOPE-LOVE series.
Before my exodus from The Church, I was asked to share on the word Hope. While constructing the video and the words which went with it, I was struggling with the concept of coming out and having it stand up against my faith and my world. Unbeknownst to anyone, I slipped a slide into the video.
Hope indeed.
Below are those words I shared Christmas of 2014.
_______________________________________________________________________
Hope.
I posted a question to my Facebook friends asking them “What Do You Hope For?”. The answers were overwhelming and humbling. From the hope to someday their son will be a big brother, to a mother hoping that their children will some day dedicate their lives to the Lord.
I thought to myself, what would it feel like to have the very thing that you hope for come to fruition? As I put the answers to my question into the affirmative tense, I could feel a sense of excitement, a sense of joy, a sense of fulfillment.
Then it hit me.
Hope is what drives us. Hope is a longing, a desire. Hope is gives us the strength and courage to face another day. Hope is what causes the scientist to work in the lab day after day working feverishly to find a cure for Cancer. Hope is what causes a sports fan to never give up on their favorite team even though they have had 21 consecutive losing seasons. Hope is what causes two parents to never give up on their daughter even though the days are filled with pain and anguish.
Hope is what takes us there.
Luke 2:22 talks about a man who was told that he would not die until he saw the Messiah, the consolation of Israel, the light of the world.
Hope is what brought Simeon to the temple everyday. Hope is what woke Simeon up day after day, week after week, year after year.
The Bible goes on to share Simeon’s excitement, his joy as he held the Messiah in his arms.
Simeon’s words capture his excitement at his fullest.
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
Simeon never gave up hope that one day I would see the Messiah as his was promised.
Back over 2000 years ago, the people of Israel were crying for someone to be a conquerer. To rescue them from the oppression of the Roman Empire. The Messiah was their hope for Freedom. The people were waiting for centuries for this moment. Their hope for their future would take them to Freedom.
The same is still today. We hope for a savior to save our world. With all the pain and anguish and struggle all around us, we cry out for someone to rescue us and heal our hearts.
This Christmas season, Christ is that hope. He is the hope that will take us there.
_________________________________________________________________________
HOPE (Banjo Song) – Pompton Lakes
Love, I know why you came
Today, today, today
To wash away the gray
The gray, the gray, the gray
And love, I know why you came
Today, today, today
To wash away the gray
The gray, the gray, the gray
And I remember all your hope
And I remember we are not yet home
And I remember slowly letting go
Ohh oh oh
And when I woke today
I reflect on what you made
The green grass
The tall trees
It made me feel at peace
And I remember all your hope
And I remember we are not yet home
And I remember slowly letting go
Ohh oh oh
This is not the end
This is where we begin
This is not the end
This is where we begin
This is not the end
This is where we begin
This is not the end
This is where we begin
…
And I remember all your hope
And I remember we are not yet home
And I remember slowly letting go
Ohh oh oh
This is not the end
(This is not the end)
This is not the end
(This is not the end)
This is not the end
(This is not the end)
This is not the end
(This is not the end)
This is where we begin
