When Is Hope Gone? (Rm 8:38-39)

At what point do your eyes drop? Maybe they dropped a long time ago? A lost love? A lost loved one? The sorrow of this life seems to have no bottom; the ache of the heart, no comfort...


Once there was a man who was condemned to be burned. There were 3 of them, in fact. They hoped - and even claimed - that their God would save them. The hour came, and they were walked to the furnace. No help came. They were thrown into the flames. The flames did not burn, however. It did not even leave a 'smell of smoke' on their clothes. God himself walked with them in the fire, and walked them out unscathed. I wonder at what point, however, they had lost hope? (Daniel 3)


Ezekiel, a prophet of God, was summoned to the 'Valley of Dry Bones' - a valley filled with the bones of the dead. He stood in silence, and waited. God asked him if these bones could live again. Ezekiel said, 'Only you know.' God - through Ezekiel - called these bones to come together, and spoke flesh over them, and breath in their lungs. They came alive again. At what point, however, had these people lost their hope?  (Ezekiel 37; Job 19:25-27)


Jesus was betrayed by his own disciple, and killed by those he had healed and loved. His own people brought his life and ministry to the floor in a pool of blood. Three days in the tomb, and he rose again, to live forever. His first 'life' had been temporary.  After everything had fallen apart - his crucifixion - he came back stronger, immortal, and with the keys of hell. At what point had true hope been lost? (Revelation 1:17-18)
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'For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Romans 8:38-39

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