Hope Is In the Air!

As I was outside yesterday morning, I couldn’t help but notice that finally the trees are budding, the crocuses and tulips are breaking through the winter-hardened ground, and the birds are back in full force, singing their springtime arias.  Spring is in the air. Actually, hope is in the air—the hope that the long, cold winter is over; the hope that life is returning to nature and soon everything will once again be green!   

I like to define hope as, the expectation that tomorrow will be better than today. Hope gives us something to which to look forward. Hope tells us that the difficulties of our current situation are not the end of the story; there is something more, something better to come.  Throughout the winter, we all tend to fluctuate between hope and despair. But, when springtime finally arrives, hope is propelled.  We receive a bit of evidence that we are actually moving towards something better, towards newness of life. 

That’s what the resurrection of Jesus was and is all about. There was a time when Jesus’ disciples fluctuated between hope and despair. They wanted to believe that things would get better, yet the situations around them spoke just the opposite. But, then Jesus rose from the dead! And, hope bloomed in a way they could never have expected. From that day forward, those disciples knew that, no matter what might come their way in life, there was always hope; they went on to live with the expectation that tomorrow will be better than today!  With Jesus’ resurrection, hope was born—the hope that life would never again be the same.     

Currently, my family and I are going through some of the most difficult times we have ever faced.  It can be quite overwhelming as we care for two parents who are in decline at the same time. The stress easily builds. And, hope is easily lost. But, during this resurrection week, I am reminded that what we see and experience in times like these is not the end of the story. There is hope. There is something better ahead. Jesus is alive and thus I (we) can expect that he will not only give us the grace to make it through times like these, but he will bring about something beautiful in his time.  His resurrection power brings to us the hope that one day death will be overtaken by life, and all things will be made new!

“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….” (1 Peter 1:3 – NIV)

This week, as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, may we remember and celebrate the hope that his resurrection has brought into our lives. Hope is in the air!

Have a great day! 

Pastor Tim Harris

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