Direction of Hope

On this All Saints Day I can't help but consider the hope that has pierced the hearts of men and women through the ages. The hope is that which has changed lives by bringing freedom to captives, a voice to voiceless people, sight to blind eyes, and second chances to death bound wanderers. The hearts of men and women filled with this hope have been given over to something much greater, much higher than themselves.

The past few weeks I've attended political rallies, heard endorsement speeches, enjoyed a politically motivated concert, and talked politics with people, one on one...through each of these things I've found the word "hope" to be associated with a particular campaign and a particular agenda (if you don't know which one I'm referring to, please stay under your rock for a few more days :). Obviously, people put their hope in many different things, but over the past few months, for some people, the sight or hearing of the word "hope" immediately brings to mind a presidential candidate and the coming election. While I could have a field day here discussing the genius of branding and marketing, I fear that "hope" as a word has lost a bit of its power.

While hope for political change is not at all a bad thing, seeing it as an ultimate goal is significantly missing the mark of where hope best impacts and changes lives. Hope, when it is found in the enemy-loving, self-giving, self-sacrificing, person of Jesus, can not only impact a life for eternity, it can bring about real life-altering change, today. It is that hope that is the hope of the Saints which we celebrate today...the Saints who have decided to give their lives to the good news of Jesus. In the coming week I hope we will consider where we put our hope. Is hope changing lives...literally? ...mine? ...yours?

A prayer from a broken heart....

There is no part of me that is hidden from you.
You have known me from before my first breath.
My life has been selfish, greedy, gluttonous and lustful.
My sin is punishable by death...hopeless death.
But you...you loved me even in hopelessness.
Unworthy, broken, lost,condemned -
You made a way for me from the deepest, darkest places.
You are my redemption; death has died and I am free!
You are the redemption for all who come!
If you saved me, surely there is none without hope!
You are my salvation! You and you alone!
- Your Child, Justin

Living vs. Existing

To live is an everyday choice... What I mean is, we can go on existing without living. Existing seems to me to be what happens when each and every day we are the same as we were yesterday. Living is striving for abundant life - a life that is better today than it was yesterday. The problem comes when we try to find abundant life on our own or when we look to possessions or other people for abundant life. We can try our hardest and fight until we have no strength left, but every time we will come up short (I know, I've tried).

Abundant life is received. Not earned, not bought, simply received. When we go looking for the wrong things, in the wrong places, clawing our way through, I dare to say, we are still only existing. But, when we open ourselves to humbly receive, then, then we can live. To live we must simply receive what the One who created us did to redeem us. When we receive the redemption, the greatest love of all, a change takes place and each day we are compelled to be more like the one who saved us.

Are there still struggles? Everyday. See it is easier to go on existing; it is easier to give up. There are things in this world that try to de-rail those who are truly living - Believe me, I struggle quite often! But, each day we have the opportunity to decide what we will do with this life; Exist or Live. The more we choose to exist, the harder it is to live, but the more we decide to live, the harder it is to exist. In living, sometimes we stumble, but there is opportunity for repentance and forgiveness, even when we fall.

I want to encourage you to click play below (you may have to wait a minute for the player to finish loading). If you've ever struggled with living I think you can probably identify with this song. For me, it captures my struggle between existing and living. If you want to live - there is hope today.