Hope Springs Eternal
Despite the challenges of living in our fallen world, it is human nature to hold onto hope. As we face these challenging situations from day to day, we can see “hope spring eternal” by intentionally choosing to listen to the Holy Spirit’s encouragement and guidance, and serving the needs of one another.
"The gift of service represents a desire to invest more of our future in that which has eternal significance." - Christianity Today (2000)
There is no eternal value in living out our lives solely for ourselves, looking to get out of life all that we can for our own, as the world's systems would have us believe.
Jesus commented on this reality in this way; “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal."
And yet there can be significant eternal value in what we do with our lives, for the least among us, during our short time we have here on earth.
Jesus again commented; “For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what he has done”
Jesus also said the things we don't do for the least among us will be significantly factored into our overall performance record.
Faith in Christ Jesus is an active significant contributor to our eternal success. If you think Jesus is talking about an hour visit to the local religious community center once a week, you're not paying attention.
When Jesus specifically outlines the work we are all called to help with...
"I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’" (Matthew 25)
...you won't see any mention of doing "church". What he described was being the church in every aspect of your daily life. The significance of faith is expressed most meaningfully in an active love for one another. Self serving faith clubhouses and performance halls didn't make the list. The most significant worshippers are those serving the least among us.
A living faith develops a hopeful life. It helps us notice the wonders of God working in our lives, which inspires more hope in our souls. When we feed the needs of one another we increase our own faith, which is our reward and leads to a wondrous cycle of hope.