Hope : Past, present and Future
Psalm 78:1-8, John 1:1-13
‘Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.’
Corrie Ten Boom
Anything to Declare
It’s a long time since I have been to an airport and had to check baggage in for a flight. There are the endless questions asking if you have packed it yourself or is there anything in your hand luggage that shouldn’t be. Then it goes through the scanner and you’re stopped at the other side because something ‘suspicious’ has been seen and your bag is emptied in front of everyone to reveal it was just a pair of headphones or that powdered milk you packed.
We all carry baggage with us in life because we are all products of the contexts we were raised in. For most of us reading this we come from a white european western world view. This affects how we think about a whole variety of issues from our politics to religion. Some of this contextual baggage that we carry with us is good and some isn’t. Knowing what we carry in our luggage is often helpful as it allows us to declare it.
Back to the Future
Often as we look back we see where some of the ideas, anxiety and grudges we carry come from. In Psalm 78 the writer Asaph looks back at his people’s history and the baggage they carry. He sees the precious jewels they have brought with them, the wonders of God’s mighty deeds. He also notices the not so good stuff, the stubbornness, rebellion and rejection of God’s call. His Psalm tells the next generations this story so they can learn from it. They can hear of the faithfulness of God and find hope. They will hear of how their ancestors were disloyal and they can understand why the desert journey took so long.
Looking back at our past gives us hope for the present and future because we are reminded of God’s faithfulness to us. When we look back we can see the reasons for why we hope, as well as the reasons for why our hope is sometimes damaged. We can learn from our mistakes and those of the generations that have gone before us.
Through all Time
John’s gospel is often counted, along with Mark’s, as not including a birth narrative. The opening chapter seems to have more to do with Genesis 1 than Matthew 1. However, the cosmic language we find in these opening verses give us the perspective of Jesus’ birth through time. From the very moment creation began, through the prophets, to the word in flesh and blood.
This is the view of Jesus throughout history not just at a single point in history. This overview reminds us that Jesus is always, has always and will always be with us. This is the reality that sustains our hope, and the hope of the church through time.
Questions
- What baggage are you carrying with you? Do you have anything you want to declare?
- As you look back on your life what experiences do you draw on to give you hope for the future? Which experiences have dented your hope?
- What stories do you tell your friends, family, colleagues to encourage them and give hem hope?
- What is your hope for the future? What do you hope God is doing in Jesus now as he has been since the world began?
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