Hopefulness

Photo Credit: Katherine Evans 

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.—Romans 8:22-25 (ESV)

Life changes rapidly in a year. Countries go from peace to war. A newborn goes from being largely immobile to getting into everything. They transition from sitting and rolling over, to crawling, standing walking, and in some cases, running. We look at the pictures of our children on the first and last days of school and see change. Our jobs responsibilities may change along with our co-workers. The grocery stores at times shuffle their aisles and change (I hear the new Canton Hy-Vee design is nice).

While life certainly changes rapidly in some aspects, others demonstrate little change. On April 6, I became a year older; I do not feel any different. Many of our laws remain the same. We still drive the same cars, the same ways to work (unless IL-116 is under construction for the Peoria commuters). Many churches too have reputations for little change. There may be a few new faces, a few new songs; however, the majority is the same.

 It was about this time last year when our family was driving on vacation for a trip to Michigan. Around Chicago, we tuned into the radio station and the topic of the day was the case regarding the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. In a matter of days police reform, racism, and gun control became buzzwords and hot topics, and to some extent still are. We read (and heard) legitimate stories from both sides. One from a mother with a young African American son who instructed him to keep his driver’s license and insurance information easily accessible in the event they were pulled over. She did not want the cop suspecting her son of carrying a gun while opening the glove compartment. From the perspective of the officer, they have a split second to make a decision, which can mean life or death for them and whether they return home to their families.

Oh my. Does a year change anything, or not? Talk. Shouting. Outrage. Where is the change? While we have seen police brutality in New York and Baltimore, we have also seen 19 law enforcement officers killed through gunfire. Forgive us, Lord. We have fallen short. All of these lives matter. All lives matter to God. All lives SHOULD matter to us. Whether we are black or white, male or female, in the womb or out of the womb, young or old, God created us.

The passage from Romans declares the world groaning from childbirth. While sin’s foothold is in this world, we know it is temporary God is still at work and we must wait patiently. Our first call as Christians is to remember where we find our hope. Our hope is not in family, our friends, neighbors, or ourselves, our government or its agencies. Our hope is in God, a mellifluous promise. Jesus’ resurrection defeated sin and death. Jesus stands ready to deliver at the anointed time. As we await this final blow, let us consider how we work for change in this world. The love of Christ compels us to advocate for our fellow human beings who have little voice or no voice.

Let us hope for what we do not currently see. Let us work towards wholeness and grace. Let us have discussions on how we can attack the issues rather than attacking each other. We must love our neighbor as ourselves. What does this mean for you? What does it mean for me?

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.