From Hope To Faith

Thinking about spiritual matters, along with the daily regular thoughts about life. What is Hope? We know a beautiful young lady named Hope. And it was the midwife's name of the person we used with my first child's birth. We named our daughter Faith, by the way. Hope never showed up for the birth, for whatever reason, but Faith was born by the labors of her momma and our assistance. And this is the topic for some quick thoughts. 

Hope seems to be a part of real life, an optimism that things will work out or get better. Sometimes it almost seems like it carries a little negativity in the use of the word. Like when someone is sick or ailing, and we say “I hope you get to feeling better,” or something like that, when we observe dire possibilities. At times, it also reminds me of the combining of supernatural elements such as faith and superstition, like when someone says, “God bless you, and good luck!” If God blesses you, I personally don't think you will need much “good luck.” 

Anyway, we're all just trying to figure out this life, how to live it and survive, and sometimes even thrive. In the context of “bad things” happening all the time, sometimes to others, and sometimes to yourself, we ask ourselves if there is any reason or correlation. Are we being punished? Do we deserve this? Why would something bad happen to someone who is so good or innocent? 

There is a passage in the New Testament that illustrates this discussion fairly well, in Romans, chapter 5.1-5

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

That, my friends, is a mouthful of truth and wisdom for life. 

In faith, we have peace with God. 

Faith is an introduction into the grace of God. 

We exult in the hope of the glory of God. 

But we also exult in our tribulations - which bring perseverence, character, and hope.

And the love of God pours into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. 

Do you need some “good luck”? “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) 

Do you need some help getting through something in life? I think of several renditions of the TV show, The Equalizer, in which someone helps people out of various serious personal jams. Perhaps we can each be that person to someone in our lives. 

My wife Donna and I just finished rewatching the TV series Person Of Interest, which had a quote near the end of the show that speaks of life and death. The show is somewhat science fiction, but as things are going with Artificial Intelligence (or Ignorance), it is skirting real life quite closely. The dance between humanity and machine intelligence, and the ethical and moral implications bantered in this series, are really fascinating. The quote about the value of life is this.

“I learned everyone dies alone. But if you meant something to someone... If you helped someone... Or loved someone... If even a single person remembers you... Then maybe you never really die. And maybe... this isn't the end at all.”

God bless you all!