Hope in Hopelessness

Monday 1/10/2011 4:38 AM

Today begins a new semester.  I woke at three different times throughout the night but I did not have the normal anxiety that accompanies the beginning of a new semester.  I’m not sure why but it seems like this break between semesters was even more restful and relaxing than most.  I have enjoyed the company of my children and grandchildren and they have reminded me again of the great blessing God has afforded me in the gift of my family relationships.

It seems that the majority of my students are not given the same blessing, many of whom come from families that are either broken by divorce, dysfunctional or both.  Yesterday at worship my pastor reminded us of the hope we have in Christ and the responsibility we have to live out that hope for the world to see.  Today I again have that privilege as I interact with my students.

Yesterday I wrote about the attempted assassination of an Arizona congresswoman and others who were wounded and killed in the shooting.  Sometimes when I look at the lives of my students and the tragic events that occur throughout the world it easy to become distraught and give up hope.  Today my assigned reading included 2 Kings 6, the passage where the king of Aram wants to capture Elisha because he is notifying the king of Israel of the Aramean army’s position.  He sends a sizeable troop to get Elisha and Elisha’s servant becomes distraught, seeing this great force surrounding the city.  Elisha comforts his servant with the words of verse 16, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  He then prays that God will open the eyes of his servant who sees the hills around Elisha filled with horses and chariots of fire.  Even when faced with the direst circumstances, the power of God surpasses the power of this world.  Elisha prays to God and eventually leads this force, bent on evil, to Samaria, the capital city of Israel.  The king of Israel asks Elisha if he should kill these enemy combatants but Elisha tells him to feed them and give them something to drink.  The result was the withdrawal of the enemy’s army and peace came to Israel.

In our world today it seems that the “Christian” political right wants to fight against the political left and the political arena has become filled with vitriol and hatred, as both sides hurl their accusations against the other side.  As a country, our reaction to being attacked on 9/11 was to attempt to destroy the enemy by dropping bombs and invading countries.  This results in a political environment that is toxic, where no one is trustworthy and a world torn by strife where billions of dollars are spent to destroy others.  I believe we should remind ourselves of Paul’s observation in Ephesians 6, that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

As Christians we need to concern ourselves with truth, righteousness, peace and love.  Paul also reminds us in Romans 12:20-21, “‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  This way of living worked for Elisha and the Israelites and I think it will work today too.