歪歪漫画

鈥淟et us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.鈥� (Hebrews 10:23)

Last week, I rose jubilantly knowing later that day I was to preside over the wedding of a lovely young couple on a beautiful October day in Minnesota鈥檚 north country, but then was horrified when I read the headlines of the attack on Israel.

Over morning coffee at my favorite little diner, I was torn between my joy of being a part of this couple鈥檚 special day, a day that will be etched in their hearts forever, and the abject terror I felt for the thousands of people impacted by the evil acts taking place in Israel, which will leave this very same day etched in their memories for much different reasons.

Two diametrically opposed ends of the spectrum in this inexplicable experience we call life.

So, as faithful people, what do we do with the tension between the utter joy this earthly life can offer us and the horrific atrocities that seemingly take place in equal numbers? How is it possible to feel the elation we find in God鈥檚 creation while knowing that others are suffering something so unimaginable?

The weight of this tension is enough to bring one to despair.

And so I proffer: The only answer is the hope offered to us by the Creator, who is not a standoffish God, but one who is active not only in the past but the present as well.

Now, you might think, 鈥淪ure, it鈥檚 easy to find God present in a beautiful wedding ceremony in the middle of a lush green field surrounded by trees exploding in autumnal colors. But where is God present during a heinous terrorist attack killing hundreds?鈥�

It would be shallow for me to offer up examples when I鈥檓 safely halfway around the world. But my prayerful hope is that those living right now in the midst of the atrocity can see and feel God鈥檚 presence. To not do so would be giving into the temptation to allow despair to win, and faith prevents me from doing so.

Hope is not about the future. It鈥檚 actually about the present. Hope is for now because we believe in a God that is active 鈥� in the here and now.

We can easily forget that Jesus entered into this world during a time of deep polarization as well. War, political division, segregation 鈥� great divides among humanity existed 2,000 years ago, just as they do today.

Yet, Jesus lived and ministered to the people of his day out of the same hope we must possess still today: The hope of God鈥檚 promises being fulfilled.

Sometimes, clinging to hope is the most faithful act we can commit. 鈥� Amen.