Hope
Hope. As the saying goes, it ‘springs eternal’. These days this idea that ‘hope springs eternal’, that it is human nature to always find a reason to be optimistic, feels naive to say the least.
The UK is currently facing its worst cost of living crisis in decades, with the Consumer Price Index (the official measure of inflation of consumer prices of the United Kingdom) rising by 9.0% in the 12 months to April 2022.[1] By and large the poorest groups in our society are the ones most affected by this dramatic rise in inflation.
On an international scale the Covid 19 pandemic remains a significant issue, with over 500 million confirmed cases and 6 million deaths reported to the World Health Organisation at the time of writing.[2] We see conflict and instability, not just in Ukraine but across the world, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. We also all are facing the reality of the climate emergency. 39% of people across the world live within 100 kilometres from a shoreline and are at risk of flooding if global sea levels continue to rise.[3] Even in the UK we have seen more extreme weather, with the likelihood of storms and heavy rainfall dramatically increased due to the changing climate.
Where is hope in the midst of this?
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light, on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:2)
Even in the seemingly ever-increasing darkness of this day and age, the light of hope remains. As followers of Jesus, our hope comes from him! We believe and know that he is the Son of God, who takes away the sins of the world and is reconciling and redeeming the world, bringing the Kingdom of God down to Earth and making it more like Heaven. Ultimately, it is Jesus who is in control, even if it doesn’t feel like it to us when we turn on the news. He has authority over the Earth and over its rulers. (Psalm 2)
For me, hope in Jesus, in his forgiveness of my sins, in his desire to make things right in the world, and in the eternal life that he promises, is what keeps me going when the world seems very dark.
It is this hope that, as followers of Jesus, we are called to share! In 1 Peter, there is a challenge to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15)
At Lifehouse Community Church, hope is part of our vision! We want to be a church that is ‘bringing hope’ to those around us. We want to understand what it means to have hope, and to know how to explain our hope in Jesus to others. That’s why on Sundays over the next few weeks, we will be looking together at different aspects of our hope in Jesus:
1. Hope for the whole world
2. Hope for the fight
3. Hope for forever
4. Hope in weakness
5. Hope in the valley
So as we start this mini-series together, let’s be praying for fresh encounters with Jesus, our eternal spring of hope. Check out our Calendar for how to join us!
1 Office for National Statistics https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/bulletins/consumerpriceinflation/april2022
2World Health Organisation https://covid19.who.int
3 Met Officehttps://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/climate-change/effects-of-climate-change
