Good morning my friends. It is amazing the things that people base their life on. With some people it is all about relationships, family, friends and co-workers. Other people base their life on pursuing a dream, idea, fantasy. Still other people base it on building a secure feature, whether that means finances, possessions, education or whatever it is that makes them feel secure. It is in these things they find their hope. However, at some point in time such hope can be dashed upon the rocks of bad choices, wrong decisions, human failure.
I believe with all my heart that the family unit is vital for our society; that the weaker the unit is the weaker our society is. The unit is where love is taught and demonstrated; where children are taught by example how disagreements are resolved; where solid support from parents fills children with a sense of ability; where faith is practiced, tested and taught. The family unit is our society in miniature, each having their own particular rules based on values important to each family. However, families are comprised of humans and humans are an imperfect bunch and failure happens from each group of relationships within the family. Without help and intervention such things can split and destroy a family. It should not happen but sometimes it does and it leaves a lot of brokenness. If this is where our hope lies then personal failure will leave that hope in shreds and people will be utterly destroyed.
It is good to dream. In fact, let me go as far to say that it is vital to dream. The moment we stop dreaming and having goals to pursue we begin to grow old in our heart and mind. That should never happen. Sometimes people put so much effort into their dreams and goals that they forget to live in the moment. Everything is focused on that one thing; all their energy and all their time. They will sacrifice relationships and anything else that gets in the way. Then, when those dreams and those goals start to unravel and the realization sets in that they will never reach those things, hope becomes something that is crumpled and tossed into the waste paper can. It becomes an empty life, void of purpose.
I also believe in education and having a financial plan. I believe in them because I have little of either however these are worthy things to occupy some of your energy and time. I stress some time because there are people who spend their entire life pursuing such things to give themselves a sense of a secure future. They spend 20 years in university seeking after more and more, believing the more degrees they have the more they are valued in society and the more secure they are for their future. It is the same with finances, people spend their entire lifetime trying to amass a small fortune, and they forget to live in the moment. There are also those that try to find security in the things they buy and collect. It is amazing what some people think will bring them security. Speak to the Haitians and ask them how secure they feel about walking on the ground that is beneath their feet? Whatever we consider to be secure is just temporary. It can be lost within seconds, including our lives. All hope can be lost with one wrong decision and that can be the wrong decision made by another person. Hope can be lost simply because of circumstances beyond our control. Gone, lost forever.
No, in all these things and in life in general there is only one thing we can count on. Some of the Haitians know that better than most of us. It is the reason we are hearing reports of them singing through the night. What are they singing? Praises to Jesus. Why would they do that? They lost everything. They don't even have anything to eat. What has Jesus done for them that they would be praising him? Paul wrote to Timothy:
This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. (1 Timothy 4:9-10)
As I said, all the things in this earth are temporary, mere shadows that are slowly fading away. They may look like they have substance but soon enough they will pass away, spoil or rust. There is only one thing that you can be sure of and it is where we put our hope. Jesus taught:
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.(Matthew 6:19-21)
Peter encouraged us:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
Where is your heart? What is or who is your hope? If it is not found in Jesus Christ then you may be in for a big fall. If it is Jesus then you stand on solid rock. Even if the mountains fall down on you, you will not be shaken. You have made the right decision. Your future is secure because the ground beneath your feet is solid and secure.
1 comment:
Sometimes it take a lot of uncertainty to realise the things that are certain. Even when the mountain moves, there are some things that are not destroyed. The Haitians have ben critized a lot for false religious practice, but in the times of crisis, for many of them, they are demonstrating a faith that puts the rest of the world to shame.
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