Reading the news can be an unhealthy exercise.
From fear to being drained, the emotions that arise can take a toll on the reader.
Conflict. Calamity. Crisis. Catastrophe.
These are a few of what you are bound to read.
Paul declares in Romans 8:18-21:
“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 something we can hold on to.
There is something we can hope for.
In his book Simply Christian, N.T. Wright talks about what he would call “echoes of a Voice”. Throughout human history, inside the human heart, we find something that resonates and something that we can all agree on. These would include a quest for spirituality, a longing for justice, a desire for relationships, and a delight in beauty.
QUEST FOR SPIRITUALITY
Dr. Larry Crabb says that the human heart is “hopelessly religious.” We want to worship something or someone. From an NBA player to an achievement, from career to a special someone, from wealth to even ministry. We all are on a quest to find some sort of spirituality.
LONGING FOR JUSTICE
When a young girl is raped and killed or a baby is abused and neglected, there is something inside of us that want justice. No one looks at the situation, glosses over it and moves on with life. Something is stirred in our hearts. We long for justice.
DESIRE FOR RELATIONSHIPS
We will hear quotes like “no man is an island” by John Donne or “Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend” by Albert Camus. These and more are evidences that relationships are part of being human. But no matter how hard we try, certain relationships still end up in some form of dysfunctionality or brokenness.
DELIGHT IN BEAUTY
We are, unequivocally and beyond question, enamored by beauty. From the sunrises to the sunsets, from the face of an infant to the face of a well-adorned bride, from the amazing outlay of the ocean depths to the breathtaking views from the mountain tops, we desire to not just capture the memory but also the moment.
However, no matter how hard we try, we cannot seem to capture the grandeur of the landscape, the angelic voice of an opera singer, the laughter of a toddler or the embrace of a father to his daughter he is giving away in marriage. We take a photo or even a video. It gives us a glimpse of what transpired, but there is absolutely no possible way to seize the moment.
THE GOSPEL
All these “echoes” are met by the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We are on a quest for spirituality. In Christ, we have access back to the Father.
We have a longing for justice. In Christ, all injustice and wickedness have been placed on Him. And there will be a day of recompense where all is going to be made right.
We have a desire for relationships. Through Christ, we have been reconciled back to God. And now, we have been given a ministry of reconciliation and forgiveness.
We have a delight in beauty. Because of what Christ did, a time will come that everything will be returned to its original purpose and design. Beauty is going to be restored permanently.
This is the Christian hope that we hold on to. Paul said it in Romans that this is the hope we have – creation will be set from the bondage of decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
Is this what you are holding on to?
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