Ed, my old neighbour from Saskatchewan, phoned yesterday and wanted to know how much snow we have here. We have been having lots of rain. So much, in fact, the weather forecaster said we are in for a river of rain the other day. Here in the Fraser Valley we are rain soaked, but in the mountains they are dealing with snow. It is a promising beginning for the mountain ski hills.
I asked Ed what people were saying about this coming winter for Saskatchewan. What he has heard so far has not been promising, but he was certain that winter will be around from now until April. My old neighbour was positive his curling and bowling have been good so far. He has hopes his success will continue for the whole season.
Hope grows and dwindles in sports according to our wins and losses. The more we win, the more hopeful we become at keeping our winning streak alive. Hope is a powerful medicine of expectation, an incentive for an attitude that something better is coming our way. It is difficult to be hopeful when we are not winning and things keep going from bad to worse. How hard it is to remain hopeful when the illness is life threatening or the bank account is empty. There always seems to be good reasons to forget about being hopeful. Terrorism, for instance, never seems to quit and has brought senseless attacks on innocent people around the world. Recently, an airliner in flight exploded killing Russian tourists and Paris and France were shut down by terrorist attacks. Not so long ago there was a terrorist attack on our Parliament buildings. It seems like world events grow more and more hopeless but thankfully, Christians rejoice in an endless hope through their faith in Christ.
Jesus warned that we will hear of wars and rumours of war and nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom and that there will be earthquakes in various places and fearful events. He said that in the end heaven and Earth will pass away, but no one knows when it will happen. Jesus did have good news or words of hope in that he confirmed his word will never pass away. When faced with death Jesus has promised, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”
We don't want events in the world to grow more and more dangerous and fearful or the end of heaven and Earth. The Bible speaks of the day of the Lord coming like a thief. At that time, all will see the Son of Man (Jesus) coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead. As Christians or believers in Christ, we know God forgives our sins because He is merciful and because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice for sinners. As Christians facing death from various causes or the return of Christ we have hope within the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. We have an endless hope through faith in Christ.
