Our Grand Midwest Tour: Hope

We met Steve and Ana at Chevy’s Fresh Mex in a western suburb of St. Louis, recognizing their white van from last year’s visit which was already parked in a handicapped space up front. After a joyful reunion with our friends, the hostess and manager kindly helped us navigate their two wheelchairs into place around the table.

As we enjoyed each other’s company, I reflected on what I love about each of them. Steve is remarkably intelligent, a talented writer, and very kind, always asking with interest about us and our families. He relates stories of his own family and reminisces with Gene of their childhood adventures and exploits. At times he becomes frustrated when, due to a physical disorder, his body betrays him and it becomes difficult physically to express himself. But he never allows that to stop him completely!

Ana too, is very smart, talented, and interested in others. And I love her practical viewpoint—she finds ways to get things done in spite of being physically confined. For instance, she drives the two of them in their van to visit friends and family near and far! But above all, I appreciate her sense of humor that keeps her going, and allows her to admit there might be hope for a better life.

While we talked together, I tried to put myself in their shoes: Steve, stricken by a debilitating disorder while still in middle school; Ana the victim of an intern’s mistake in the hospital at the age of 17. And I pondered the thought, “What gives any of us the strength to continue in life when such apparently random tragedies can suddenly attack our lives?” And the answer dawned upon me like a sunrise providing light for the new day: Hope.

Hope is the expectation of a desired outcome in the future. “I hope I get that job I applied for,” “I hope my horse wins the race,” “I hope this plane lands safely,” “I hope I don’t get sick,” or even the more important “I hope I go to heaven after I die.” Because the outcome lies in the future—it is invisible to us in the present—many times we seem to have little control, if any, over the ultimate result.

I may have had a great interview with my prospective employer which would strengthen my hope for getting the job—but then I see the next guy to interview on my way out and he looks much more confident than I feel. My hope pendulum has now swung in a negative direction. What about the plane I hope lands safely? I can’t fly a plane! And I certainly can’t control the weather. Maybe you’re starting to see (or perhaps have recognized long ago) why we need to set our hope for our own immediate and long-term future in the almighty God who has shown His love to us in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1,2:
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And hope maketh not ashamed [disappointed]; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost [gift of holy spirit] which is given unto us.

We will not be disappointed in our expectations for our future! How can we be so sure of this joyfully glorious hope? Because we have placed our faith and trust in a God of love, our heavenly Father, Who has demonstrated His love for us in the perfect sacrifice of His Son. And that Son, the one we have made our lord and savior, Jesus Christ, is now seated in glory at God’s right hand (Hebrews 10:12).

Gene and I were so blessed to encourage Steve and Ana with the good news of this hope we have in Christ. First, that all of us who have trusted in God through Jesus Christ will one day be gathered together with him as described in I Thessalonians.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18 [English Standard Version]:
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
Therefore encourage one another with these words.

And not only will we be together with the Lord, but we will also have brand new, perfect bodies that will last forever!

I Corinthians 15:51-57 [ESV]:
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep [those who are dead when Christ returns to gather his church], but we shall all be changed,
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body [those who are alive on earth when Christ returns to gather his church] must put on immortality.
When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Victory over death and raised to new life, forever to live with our Lord! We may live in difficult circumstances with seemingly insurmountable problems; we all have mortal bodies to deal with right now. But Christ has the ultimate victory and we have it in him.

Romans 8:18-21 [ESV]:
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

There is no greater comfort or encouragement than this hope to help us live steadfastly for our heavenly Father, engaged in the work of the Lord now.

I Corinthians 15:58 [ESV]:
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Let’s encourage ourselves and each other in the Lord—we have a glorious future ahead!

NEXT: Our Grand Midwest Tour: Renovation