Some people will spend their entire lives pursuing peace through politics. Whether they identify as conservative or progressive, republican or democrat, or somewhere in between, we can easily find ourselves swept up in belief that if we can just get the right candidate, or the right number of seats in the house or senate, all will be well.
I don’t know about you, but when I look around, all is not well.
Our everyday places have become places of terror. Everyday our lives are bombarded with anything but the kindness and love we all long for.
When will it end?
Lately I’ve been reading a lot more historical fiction- particularly from the holocaust and WWII. Given the state of our country, it helps me to see how worse times have been and how those who were oppressed persevered. Some have suffered greatly while others risked everything to fight for justice.
It’s sobering.
There is great suffering around our world today. And most things I can’t solve single-handedly. Staying connected with the world, staying up to date with the latest issue is a privilege of my status. But it comes with a cost. The cost of knowing and not knowing what to do. I sit on my cozy couch and scroll past pictures of the grim reality of our world.
My heart breaks, your heart breaks, but what do we do?
While I will strive to stay diligent to do all I can where I am for those in my family, church, and community, there is one more thing I will commit to doing and it’s what I want to challenge you to do today too.
I will hope today.
Even in the darkness that surrounds us, Hope is available. His name is Jesus. He gives us hope in the darkest and ugliest of times because He conquered sin and death. Jesus lived the perfect life in a society that had little respect for life and died on a cross for the sins of the world. Three days laters he rose from the dead, and now, we no longer need to fear death, we no longer need to stay in the darkness. There is hope. He is hope.
Hope will never be found in a political party. Hope will never be found in government. Hope is only found in Jesus. When we put our faith in Him, and make Him Lord of our life, we will finally find the peace we seek. We may not have all the problems solved, but we will find a peace and strength to face our problems a little differently.
Whether your candidate wins or loses next Tuesday, remember keep looking to Jesus for hope, and take that hope to those around you. To those who are scared, those who are lonely, those who are hungry. You may not be able to fix the problems on the other side of the country or your state, but you can walk around today with hope for those you do pass by on the street, at school, at work, at lunch.
A little hope can go a long way for someone today.