.
. . . [Remarks about reasons I have high hopes for All Saints future]
That
word “hope” leads to our lesson from Genesis.
The
world begins in darkness.
Then
God says, “Let there be light and there is light.”
But
the darkness did not go away.
Since
the creation, light and darkness have co-existed.
times of loneliness, fear, despair,
uncertainty.
Being
a Christian doesn’t exempt us from that.
50
years ago, philosopher, Hannah Arendt, author of
The
Origins of Totalitarianism, used the term dark times
to describe periods of history where
democratic values
are eclipsed by fear, anger,
and prejudice.
Some
say we are living in dark times today.
Hate
crimes increased by 6% in 2016
and many cities reported a 20% increase
in 2017.
So,
we understand why some regard these times as dark.
As
individuals, as families, as a nation,
we are all subject to darkness.
I’ve
been there. I bet you have too.
The
Bible begins with darkness.
It
was precisely in the original time of darkness
that God first said, Let there be light.
and it was for them a time of darkness,
God sent the prophet Isaiah to say,
Those
who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in a land of deep
darkness,
a light has dawned . . . .
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given.
It
was in the time of national despair
that God sent a ray of hope,
the promise of a messiah.
The
times had been darkest in the region of Galilee.
They
had seceded from Judah
and been conquered by the Assyrian
Empire.
The
Assyrians deported all the Jews
and repopulated the region with their
own people.
Eventually
a few Jews made it back there,
but in Jesus day, Matthew still called
it,
Galilee
of the Gentiles.
That
is precisely where Jesus began his mission.
Matthew
saw that as fulfilling Isaiah’s prophesy.
He
called Jesus the light that dawned over Galilee.
So,
what is the point for us? Just this:
Light
and darkness, joy and sorrow,
hope and despair are part of life.
They
happen. There is no denying it.
Nations,
families, and individuals
all have their dark times.
But
that is precisely when God
speaks light into being.
John
said, The light shines in the darkness.
When
we are feeling down,
that’s the precise time to keep an eye
out
for an unexpected infusion of grace.
The
issue is not whether God will shine.
The
issue is whether we will notice.
The
prophets were driven to distraction
by people’s obdurate refusal
to see the truth of God.
Ezekiel,
for one, lamented,
They
have eyes to see but do not see . . . .
for they are a rebellious people.
We
are apt to drape despair around our shoulders
as a comfortable, familiar cloak.
We
are apt to wear it over our eyes as blinders.
John
said, The light has come into the world
but men have more love for the dark
than for the light.
When
blind Bartimaeus shouted to Jesus for mercy,
Jesus did not just assume what he
wanted.
Jesus
asked him, What do you want me to do for
you?
Bartimaeus
replied, I want to see.
So,
in your dark times,
what do you want Jesus to do for you?
Do
you want to see some light
at the end of whatever tunnel you may
be in?
Maybe
not. Maybe misery is a familiar friend.
But
if you want to see some hope,
don’t be afraid to ask for it.
If
we want to see the light of hope,
God will show it to us if we open your
eyes.
Opening
our eyes means several things.
First,
we have to set aside the terms and conditions
on which we are willing to be happy.
Hope
almost always comes out of left field,
in ways we did not expect.
Second,
we need to spend some time in prayer.
The
Scottish novelist and statesman, John Buchan, said,
Prayer
opens the heart to God
and is the means by which the (empty)
soul . . . .
is filled with God.
So,
pray. It doesn’t matter how we pray
or what we pray for.
Just
pray honestly and it will open up
the fields of possibility in your life.
Finally,
keep an eye out for truth, beauty, and goodness.
They
happen in little ways all around us.
Paul
said to the Philippians,
Whatever
is true, whatever is noble,
whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is
praiseworthy,
think about such things.
I’d
say, at least pay attention to them.
Fault-finding,
negativity, and cynicism
are addictive and blinding.
If
that’s the life we want, it’s there for the taking.
But
if we want to see a better world,
it takes a little willingness to see
the good.
Brothers
and sisters,
my heart goes out to you
when you walk in darkness.
I
assure you, I’ve been there too.
But
time and again,
light has broken unexpectedly into my
darkness,
and when I look at it closely enough,
it always looks like Jesus.
