Proclaming Hope in the midst of Hopelessness: “The task of the faithful”
SàRestore us, O Lord, and bring us back to you again! Give us back the joys we once had! (Lamentations 5:21)
HàAs I read Lamentations this morning it was amazing how the author went from speaking about how God had destroyed them, left them, ignored them, abandoned them and then all of a sudden it speaks of God restoring them. It taught me that these are a people that are holding on to hope in the midst of a hopeless world. They wrestled with the tension of living in utter hopeless from the result of God’s judgement upon them and yet looking toward a day of restoration filled with hope from this same God. Amazing Faith.
AàHow often do I feel hopeless and feel that God is the reason for that hopelessness? Do I have the kind of faith that I can remain confident in the promise of restoration even when everything around me seems hopeless? Does being a Christian mean to proclaim hope in the midst of a seemingly hopeless world? What does it mean for me to stand and proclaim in the midst of despair for God to restore and bring us back to the joys we once had? Is not Jesus God’s answer to this hopelessness? Is it not Jesus that brings us back to the joy we once had? Does God’s judgment stop with Jesus? Does God still send us into exile? If so, is Jesus still our answer that can bring us back once again?
PàLord, I come this morning with more questions then answers. I wonder if my culture is in exile; I wonder if we are on the verge of exile. Whatever the case may be I sense that the way things are in my culture is not the way you intended them to be but yet I have a deeper sense that you are passionately at work to restore us and you are looking for faithful followers to stand up and proclaim hope in the midst of the hopelessness. Change my heart today; transform my cynism into hope; transform my judgment into peace. Use me as your mouthpiece to point to the hope of hopes even when all seems completely hopeless. I love you Lord; thank you for the invitation and the call. Amen.
EàI am called to be a proclaimer of hope in an environment of hopelessness.
