What’s it all about?
The question was aimed at me, and the “it” was the bike ride project.
We were brainstorming an inspirational tagline, something that tugs at heart strings and makes everyone eager to follow and support the ride. Something like “1500 miles for hope.” If you have any suggestions, send them along in a comment.
But after our session ended, the question remained: What’s it all about? And suppose the “if” isn’t a bike ride but something bigger, like life. What’s all of this all about?
I believe the answer is truly simple, thought it’s also extremely complex and far from easy. In 1 Corinthians 13:13, Paul says, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
As a new Christian, this verse troubled me. We’re saved by faith. We live by faith. Hope sustains us. Hope assures us that we can count on God to faithfully fulfill His promises.
I saw the absolute centrality of love in God’s character, but I couldn’t understand why Paul claimed that love was greater than the faith and hope we so desperately need to follow Jesus in this often-difficult life.
There’s no hope in heaven
Then I actually read this line on one of those church signs that announces next week’s sermon title. Initially I thought it was the most ridiculous notion I’d ever heard. If anyplace is full of hope, it’s heaven—right?
Fortunately I had some time to drive and think. When I finally grasped the meaning of “no hope in heaven” I was tempted to go back and thank that pastor for a great one-line sermon.
Of course there’s no hope in heaven, and there’s no faith either. Hope and faith are about the future, about things we can see only partially. In The Message, the first part of 1 Corinthians 13:12 says, “We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist.”
That’s this world. We need faith and hope to navigate the fog and mist with confidence.
But the rest of the verse describes heaven: “But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!”
When we can see it all, when we’re face-to-face with Jesus, there’ll be no need for faith in things unseen or hope in promises to be fulfilled. We won’t need to believe in or hope for a future we can’t quite see.
I don’t know exactly what that will look like. I do know that in God’s eternal presence, faith and hope won’t be necessary.
At that point, it’ll all be about love–forever.
What’s one thing you picture in your mind at that moment when you can finally see it all?
What’s your suggestion for an inspirational tagline for the bike ride project?
You can leave a comment here.
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