December 1, 2020

Photo credit: Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Hope Faces the Facts  

Strengthen the weak hands,
   and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
   ‘Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.
   He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
   He will come and save you.’          Isaiah 35:3-4

Recently I watched a delightful and inspiring Netflix movie called Enola Holmes. In it, the younger sister of Sherlock Holmes perseveres through threats and discouragements to reunite with her mother.  Amid her trials, a well-meaning friend offers her consolation in a rosy picture of the future. Enola, hardened by life's experiences, says in return, "Facts don't distract from hope." In other words: I will continue to hope as I deal with life's worst.

 This is the genuine hope we celebrate at Christmas. A hope that faces facts and still has the strength to persevere. A hope built on confidence that by God's grace we can confront and push on through obstacles and discouragement - no rose-coloured glasses or false hope for us.  But a hope fortified by Christ's presence and victory.

During the early stages of this pandemic, one world leader knew of its severity but chose not to give people the dire facts, for fear they could not handle it. But God-given hope thrives in the midst of the truth. Hope wants to know the facts. Hope that endures amidst knowledge of the worst is the only hope that does not disappoint.

 This quote from Martin Luther has the same message: "Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." 

This part of the Advent reading sets the tone:

Strengthen the weak hands,

And make firm the feeble knees.

Say to those who are of a fearful heart,

"Be Strong, fear not!

This is the courage that hope in God gives us.

 Prayer: O living and loving God, we thank you that nothing can separate us from your love and hope, not even the darkest discouragements or hardest trials. Give us the courage to live on through all, believing that guided by your grace we move towards greater life. AMEN

 John Churchill is an ordained clergy with a varied background. Before he retired, he taught finance at Acadia University. Now he sits at his computer waiting for inspiration and doing renovations/redecorations on the house.