“A REALISTIC HOPE” We said we’d never grow up and we’d never grow old; we’d never trust anyone over thirty. And now (some) of us have long since passed that tender age and are in the midst of giving each other black fortieth birthday parties. Who knows? We may yet grow old. For (this) generation, more than any other in the twentieth century, the twenty-five years between youth and middle-age have been marked by unmet expectations. We found many of our dreams unreachable. Growing up has been less about realizing our dreams and more about making our dreams subject to reality. In one sense, when we tied our faith to our cultural expectations, we succumbed to the illusion that we could experience heaven in the here and now. It is true that one day our dreams and longings will be fulfilled beyond our wildest imaginations. Life will happen the way it’s supposed to, the way we always wanted it to – someday – but not now. Now we plow through time, groping, learning, hurting, struggling, failing, and sometimes succeeding. God can help us and strengthen us, but he never promised to keep us from pain. “Our Father refreshes us with some pleasant inns on the journey, but (he) will not encourage us to mistake them for home,” wrote C.S. Lewis. No matter what the song says, heaven is not a place on earth. Perhaps disappointed dreams are our best opportunities to transfer hope to its rightful place. Heaven is where our biggest dreams belong. Realizing that can help us make it through the here and now without placing a burden on the present that it was never meant to bear. That’s hope – realistic hope – which may yet serve to carry us through the rest of the journey. Author: Paula Rinehart (Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:1-8; Verse: 2 Timothy 4:7-8; Additional Scripture: Isaiah 40:31; Romans 12:12; Titus 1:2)
Posted on: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 11:07:37 +0000
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