What If... Where Hope is Found
Joey Rodgers
1 Peter 1:3-5
Rabbi Hugo Gryn had the misfortune of growing up in the death camp in Auschwitz. As you can imagine, fear/uncertainty ruled the day, while the stench of death wafted over the camp like a fog. In particular, food supplies were scarce, so when an inmate received even a scrap, they'd go to great lengths to preserve every morsel. One yr., during Hanukkah, Hugo's dad took a lump of margarine and, to his horror, used it as fuel for the festival light. When Hugo asked why, his dad said, ''We know it's possible to live (3) weeks w/out food, but w/out hope, it's impossible to live (3) min.''
Hope is for the soul what breathing is for any living organism - essential for life! Gabriel Marcel
HOPE! If there's one thing we all need right now - it is hope! Hope this virus will vanish into thin air - hope our loved ones will remain safe/well. Hope that a cure might be found soon. But what exactly is hope?
Sadly, in our culture, hope is little more than a wishful want - as in I hope something good might happen. It implies no certainty w/ little possibility - like trying to win the lottery w/out a ticket. It's a type of hope based on an optimistic state of mind and the idea that a positive attitude w/ hard work/ingenuity (and a little finger-crossing) will save the day. It might sound good, but it's a hope built on chance/man's limitations.
But thankfully, when the Bible speaks of hope, it's speaking of something much more certain. In fact, the Bible seldom (if ever) uses hope in a doubt-filled way b/c Biblical hope focuses on the person/promises of God - it focuses on God's limitless, sovereign abilities instead of on man's limited, self-serving abilities.
The Hebrew conveys an idea of confidently waiting in expectation God will come thru. It's an invite to look ahead b/c you know God will be there - like when Noah built the ark and waited on the Lord for rain.
The Greek offers even more clarity a ...
Joey Rodgers
1 Peter 1:3-5
Rabbi Hugo Gryn had the misfortune of growing up in the death camp in Auschwitz. As you can imagine, fear/uncertainty ruled the day, while the stench of death wafted over the camp like a fog. In particular, food supplies were scarce, so when an inmate received even a scrap, they'd go to great lengths to preserve every morsel. One yr., during Hanukkah, Hugo's dad took a lump of margarine and, to his horror, used it as fuel for the festival light. When Hugo asked why, his dad said, ''We know it's possible to live (3) weeks w/out food, but w/out hope, it's impossible to live (3) min.''
Hope is for the soul what breathing is for any living organism - essential for life! Gabriel Marcel
HOPE! If there's one thing we all need right now - it is hope! Hope this virus will vanish into thin air - hope our loved ones will remain safe/well. Hope that a cure might be found soon. But what exactly is hope?
Sadly, in our culture, hope is little more than a wishful want - as in I hope something good might happen. It implies no certainty w/ little possibility - like trying to win the lottery w/out a ticket. It's a type of hope based on an optimistic state of mind and the idea that a positive attitude w/ hard work/ingenuity (and a little finger-crossing) will save the day. It might sound good, but it's a hope built on chance/man's limitations.
But thankfully, when the Bible speaks of hope, it's speaking of something much more certain. In fact, the Bible seldom (if ever) uses hope in a doubt-filled way b/c Biblical hope focuses on the person/promises of God - it focuses on God's limitless, sovereign abilities instead of on man's limited, self-serving abilities.
The Hebrew conveys an idea of confidently waiting in expectation God will come thru. It's an invite to look ahead b/c you know God will be there - like when Noah built the ark and waited on the Lord for rain.
The Greek offers even more clarity a ...
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