‘Between hope and fear.’
This is how I see the world right now. We are on a knife edge, prepared to topple either to fear or hope.
In this last week alone the US presidential election has been taking place, and it seems whatever the result, the ‘United’ States of America will not be particularly united. In Vienna, the terrorist shooting that has left at least 4 dead and 23 wounded. In the UK, a new month-long-but-potentially-longer national lockdown announced and begun. This without mentioning the hurricane of chaos that has been the prior months in 2020.
It is now, in the wake of all that has happened and is happening, that despairing is all but tempting. “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” Alternatively, going and panic buying toilet paper once again (because it is definitely going to help you) as the apocalypse is here.
The climate of the day is fear-ridden. If you are feeling afraid at the moment, I would not hold anything against you. If we are being honest, there is a great deal that appears terrifying at present.
However, global family, hope is the alternative option in this situation we are living in.
Full disclosure: it is also by far the more difficult option. Choosing hope means that you are more likely to be disappointed when you feel as if things are still not working out. It can and often will mean pain. But let me explain how it is still worth it.
Now, before I go any further, let me just clarify, when is say ‘hope,’ I do not mean happy-clappy optimism. If that is what I meant, I would fail in dramatic fashion, likely in a flaming ball of frustration and pessimism. I also do not mean denial of injustices and wrongs taking place in the world, as hope is not a denial of these things, but rather a perseverance against them.
One of my favourite stories in the Bible is the story of Elijah, who was the last prophet of God left after all the rest had been killed, after he had just seen an amazing act of God and slaughtered all of the prophets of Baal, he is forced to flee for his life from Jezebel and Ahab. And what does he do? 1 Kings 19:4, “He came upon a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough Lord,’ he said, ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’ For me personally, this is one of the most beautifully relatable moments in the entirety of the Bible. Elijah is despairing. He has given up. First half of verse 5, ‘Then he lay down and fell asleep.’ The way I have pictured this is Elijah curled in the foetal position and weeping as he eventually falls asleep, exhausted.
But God does not let the story end there. Second half of verse 5 and verse 6, ‘All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked around, and by his head was some baked bread and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.’ God’s immediate solution to Elijah being suicidal, depressed and exhausted; A nap and a snack. Do not underestimate what God can do with a nap and snack. At this point, I imagine Elijah is still unable to do very much of anything, as he has just been woken and served food and drink by an actual angel, and his impulse is to just go back to sleep.
After this, a few things happen. Elijah is woken again by the angel, goes on a journey to the mountain he is told to go to, and stays in a cave there. Then God gets him to go stand on the mountain and a storm-like wind, an earthquake and fire roar pass him, but the Bible says, ‘but the Lord was not in these.’
It is what came after these displays. ‘A voice like a gentle whisper.’ A whisper. That is all.
God then shows Elijah something incredible: he is not the last prophet. He gives Elijah his hope.
Elijah despaired. Elijah gave up. But God met him where he was. God saw that he had fallen on the knife edge he walked upon and gave him hope. He gave him hope in something eternal.
This is what I am going to encourage, global family. Lift your eyes to something eternal. I know how much pain there is in the world right now. I know how much conflict there is. I know how much fear there is. But there is still hope because there is still God. God did not go on holiday for 2020.
So, hope in God, is that it? Well yes and no. Saying, ‘hope in God’, is much easier said than done. But, global family, we are not just trusting God for the time of now, we hope in what is to come. That is the something eternal. Revelation 21. That is the day that we as Christians hope for. We pray for the second coming of Christ and the new heaven and the new earth and Eden restored. We hope and pray for the day where, ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.’ But most importantly, we hope for when we can praise God for all of eternity.
That is what this is all about.
So, we walk this knife edge between hope and fear, but even if you fall to fear, just like Elijah, God finds you.
Christ has power over fear.
Hope is in Christ.
Christ is our hope eternal.
Shalom in your guts, global family.