The Pragmatism of All-Conquering Hope

“But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.”

— 1 THESSALONIANS 5:8 (NRSV)

To enjoy this day and this night,

This existence wherever I am,

Is to say... that in spite,

Of struggles I don’t give a damn.

I’ll look with glee in order to see,

The Spirit of my Saviour by might,

All to Him, I will gaze,

And enjoy His every delight.

***

Although we, as believers, are people of the day, there is the matter of choice as we choose our attitude for the day and for the night. What will it be? Do the struggles define us, or do they refine us? As children of the day, we stick with the character faithful to the day – we are steady on our feet, and, though we may stumble, we do not fall for the night’s tricks.

Do we struggle? Yes we do. But that’s not the end of the matter.

When we move on, and keep moving forward, in spite of the struggles; we win the moment... the hour... the day... the week... the tumultuous season.

Keep looking up!

And as we keep looking up – finding ourselves affirmed by a revelation that is communicated via the powerful Holy Spirit in us – we find we are vindicated, saved, and redeemed in our moments, afresh. It’s a glorious reality that is likely to inspire us to tears of joy for the faithfulness of God in giving us the hope – out of our pragmatism to take the Lord at his word!

When Nothing Can Defeat Us

The words of latter Romans 8 ring through our ears as we recall that which is set on defeating us is cause for our repealing victory – because we looked heavenward, yet acted with feet placed firmly on terra firma.

We added to the resplendence of our heaven-gazed hope a realness of wanting to do all that needed to be done. We focused on the process, not the outcome; we trusted God with that. We left it with him entirely.

When nothing can defeat us, because we have an unstinting frame of faith-bridled perspective, we are the humblest force to be reckoned with. What Jesus showed us in his death – that, death is the way to life – we replicate, though not quite literally.

***

With hope we cannot be defeated. Even out of the jaws of death comes the one who relies trustfully and unflinchingly on hope. That hope is borne on Jesus of Nazareth – the Son of God – the Saviour of the world. In Jesus is everything for a pragmatic hope that works – that reverses misfortune and makes for the best out of the worst circumstances.

© 2013 S. J. Wickham.