Hope Happens!

By Rev. Gary Moore

I was reminded the other day of a saying that has permeated our society. It is not only quoted, but often establishes a mood as well. I have seen it on bumper stickers, t-shirts and it’s been said numerous times in movies.

Usually spoken with a blasé attitude when things have gone astray, not going their way or just having a bad day. And when I try to set a more positive tone is when I hear it said, “s*!t happens”. How sad is it when not only don’t we wish for more in life, but we also don’t expect more either. Life is just a big toilet waiting to be flushed.

Well frankly, life is more than fecal matter, a lot more.

And while the words may not be spoken in our churches, the mood has infiltrated it as well.

Yes life has its ups and downs, it’s highs and lows, and it’s pleasures and sorrows. It might even stink sometimes. But that is life, what it is all about. Life is about living. There is old Roman saying, “While there is life, there is hope.”

We share a scripture at the closing of our service taken from Romans 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope...”. Yes He is a God of judgment, He is a God of love and He is a God of hope. The Good News version puts it this way, “May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

The truth of the matter is hope happens far more often than the other word. I am well aware of the injustices and absurdities of life, but Hope happens! How can I possibly say that with all the chaos going on in the world?  That’s because my hope is in more than a job, a home, a car, an education, a portfolio, status, great wealth, fame, intellect, friends, family, a church, or remarkable health – these are all great things, but will fade away some day. My hope is God. My hope is not in God, my hope is God himself.

Hope happens because I choose to put my trust in God rather than believe life is just a crapshoot. Rather than believe life is just a random chance of events. I choose to have faith in more than a higher power; I choose to have faith in a dynamic creator and heavenly father. The One who is ready to fill you with joy and peace, the one who wants you to overflow with more than just a good feeling about life, but a hope for life.

Despite what you may think or feel, despite what may be going on in your life; hope is real, hope is alive and hope does take place. If you will only look up past your circumstances you will find more than a true hope, a sure hope. You will find not a source of hope, but the real source of hope. Not for just for today, but tomorrow and eternity as well.

Those of us, who have this hope in us, need to share that hope with others. Not just in words, but in our everyday life. We need to replace that blasé attitude with the outlook Paul had when he wrote in Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God …”

There’s enough fecal matter in the world. Let’s spawn a new feeling; let’s utter a new maxim … “Hope happens!”

Reverend Gary Moore is the Senior Pastor of sure HOPE Christian Assembly in Middletown, Ohio.
Visit us on the web @ www.surehope.org