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Waiting For Hope

Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.  Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.    Isaiah 64:1, 3-4

My investment counsellor sent me a pair of tickets to hear some investment gurus from my bank's head office in Toronto. The conference center was full of eager and anxious people waiting for any gem of information about what is currently happening to our retirement accounts..  Of course the evening was designed to calm anxious minds, and you have a ready and willing audience, when all are looking for any sign of hope in troubled times. Oh, and yes, I left reassured. In fact, I came home and tongue in cheek, suggested to Valerie we take out a second mortgage so we wouldn't miss out on all the wonderful investment opportunities out there. And you will note no black eyes or bruises on me.
People look for hope.
People wait for any sign of hope in our anxious times.

Isaiah says, "If only you would tear open the skies and come down. Make your name known to your enemies, like you did in the past when you made yourself known unexpectedly. But we know that you are the God who does come to those who wait." I would add, "who wait in hope."

I am sure that you like me say, "Amen" to Isaiah's prayer.
Just recently I more or less prayed the same thing.
The ocasssion was viewing yet another documentary on why the Bible's version of history is flawed. This was just one more in what seemed to me to be a recent flurry of books, articles and documentaries designed to bring disrepute upon Biblical claims and upon God's authority and holiness.

I think my prayer was something like "We need a little help down here! Couldn't you send us something...anything, please? But it's your name they are bringing down, so if you are not worried, I will try not to, but it sure makes my task hareder."
I should say that although I get put out at some of these articles, I know they can be answered and set out in my own mind to ask how I would reply. Once I am satisfied I could reply rationally and intelligently, then I let it go. But like Isaiah, I want to call out...in fact I do call out..."If only you would give us something. Or better yet, come down and make yourself known to an increasingly hostile world."

And then that still small voice reminds me.
But I have. Remind the people that I have. And I will again. But celebrate what I have done. And remember that you are hope.
And I am reminded that God's Spirit will confirm the truth of Jesus to all who come to Him in faith.
But I have to say that the idea that I too am hope is a piece too far for me some days.

You see, I want God to do something dramatic. Spectacular would be wonderful.
But to me, hope is something that comes to me from somewhere else.
And of course it does.
Isaiah knew where hope came from. It came from the God who held the nation.
If God said "live" they would live. If God said "die" then they would die.

But God has said all we need to hear on the subject.
Jesus has said, "LIVE" as clearly as possible.
So what word from God do I wait for?
Jesus has come and in Him we see the intents and purposes of God for us.
So what deed of God do I wait for?

The apostle Christ has said in his letter to the Colossians, "This is the hope of glory--it is Christ in you."
God has opened heaven.
Maybe not a tearing open, but in Jesus, God has come down and has given us His verdict on life. On you and on me.
And the verdict is this: in Him we have life. In Him we have hope.
And he has sent us into a world looking for hope.
Brothers and sisters, like it or hate the idea, WE are their hope.
Now there is a thought to send you scurrying for cover, but its true--WE, you and me with Christ in us are the hope of the world.

It is advent and we remember the fact that God has not left us without hope.
But there is no need to wait for a sign of hope as though we had none.

I was feeling very badly last week for various reasons. Not physically, but spiritually.
Feeling that in so many ways, God's hope in me is misplaced.
Maybe you feel that way from time to time.

Then I met someone just in passing.
I think it was the Spirit who nudged my spirit and said, "that person's life is measureably better by what I have done through you."
It was one of those moments when the light comes on again.
It happened several times over the course of two or three days.
God just reminded me that He is at work in me through the most casual meetings and conversations.
I cannot tell you how profound that knowledge is.

And I think he sent me here this morning to remind you of the same thing. That is this:
God is at work in you when you commit yourself to being a disciple of Jesus.
And God is working through you, God has worked through you and God will continue to work through you.

You need not wait for hope.
You are hope.
You are like a bright star on the tree to someone.
Hope is a star.
Hope is Jesus
Hope is Jesus in you.

Preached  November 30, 2008
Dr. Harold McNabb
West Shore Presbyterian Church
Victoria, British Columbia
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