Minister’s Blog

Hope! We need it. We cannot survive without it. We misplaced our hope when our world began to suffer shortages throughout the business and corporate world of our nation. The banking industry is waiting for our nation to renew our habit of borrowing, spending and investing money to pull our nation out of this present recession. Hope is being rescued from the shortage of borrowing, spending, and investing. Our hopes lie in the $700 billion plus stimulus package our Congress and President are creating. Hopes will rise unless a shortage of votes in Congress interrupt the passage of this bill. Those who have lost their jobs and those who want to enter the job market are hoping for a job to provide for the basic needs of their families. This group believes jobs are the shortage. Churches are also hoping for a recovery of bigger offerings to match the size of our budgets. Severe shortages are not in short supply.

Uncle Sam, the personification of our nation, must be having pain in his entire body as he feels the overweight with the needs of our nation. Is there hope? We want someone to tell us in a convincing manner there is hope. There is a shortage of hope.

Our greatest shortage is hope! Without hope the economy will not rebound. Without hope the job market will not recover. Without hope churches will struggle through this recession. Until hope arrives to save the day the Stock Market will continue its wild fluctuations and the search for an escape from this present economy will remain elusive. Hope will save the day!

We are looking for hope in all the wrong places. Hope is not dependent on this present world pulling itself out of its present troubles. Hope will not appear on the scene as quickly as a flash of lightning streaks across the sky. Hope is a confidence that tomorrow will bring us what we need through the providential hand of God who has not consulted with us or Google searched for an advisor. God is still God who dispenses high quality hope for the present crisis. Hope is a choice to place our confidence in God who controls all of the future. There is hope! It is not a gift delivered in the mailbox or at the front door. Hope is a discovery of the power of God over all the affairs of His universe and the rediscovery of the love of our God for His people. Someone once said, “It is always safe to trust in the Lord.” When we trust in God, we will discover hope. According to the Bible, God has already given us hope which is a bonus with the gift of salvation we enjoy in Jesus Christ. Romans 8:25 says, “For in hope we have been saved.”

Terry Jones, Senior Minister