one hope

a few weeks ago we were taking a family day trip down to harrisburg.  on the way we were discussing our lunch options, and the kids inevitably said that they wanted to eat at mcdonalds.  (by the way, if you seriously consider eating at mcdonald's today, you should watch this first).  i knew that a big part of the reason they wanted to eat at the golden arches was the potential of a play area, so i tried to steer them in a different direction by saying, "we're only going to be in one area of town, and there's probably only one mcdonald's there.  there's not much of a chance that it will have a play area." 

from the backseat, jackson replied, "well, there may not be much of a chance, but there's always one hope."

yes, buddy.  you're right.  there is always one hope.  it may not be best founded in mcdonald's and their germ-infested hades pits of colored plastic, but there is always a hope nonetheless. 

i've been thinking alot about hope lately.  as i dream about the future, and as i allow myself to think some big thoughts about my purpose and the purpose of my place in this church, and this church's place in this community, i keep coming back to the idea of hope.  even when i hear the bad news each day, or hear the daily complaining about the economy, i just keep thinking about hope.  and i keep hearing this voice in my head, "there may not be much of a chance, but there is always one hope." 

and that's how i want to live.  and how i want to represent the Gospel.  and how i want my ministry to be known...

in the midst of bleak news...hope

in the midst of brokenness....hope

in the midst of despair...hope

in the midst of cycles of poverty....hope

in the midst of patterns of sinfulness...hope

in the midst of increasingly polarized opinions...hope

in the midst of questions without answers, issues without solutions, and situations seemingly without hope...hope.  always hope.  who's with me?