lent day 25 - hope

'Hope is sometimes a bad thing.'

I heard someone on a news report say this today and it really made me stop and think.  I dont think Ive ever heard anyone talk of hope as being anything other than positive.   But this was said in the context of Kim and Donald's prospective meeting in North Korea.  And that whole scenario turns what is ' normal' on its head.


The thing is, people in North Korea are being offered the tantalising hope that just possibly there might be the tiniest chance that something might be about to change in their desperately poor and oppressed society.   That would be amazing wouldn't it?  Wonderful to think that there might be a chance for North Koreans to finally be a part of the rest of the world.   Hoping for this should be a good thing right?

Well maybe not, because as the Bible says, hope deferred makes the heart sick.  Hope is only a good thing if the thing hoped for is a) genuine and real and b) possible to achieve.
Kim and Donald are both such unpredictable and volatile characters that it is just not possible for anyone to predict what might happen in the next few weeks.   Any hope that we all might have for a good outcome could turn out to be misplaced.   The reporter on the news last night who said that hope is sometimes a bad thing, said that it was quite possible that Kim was staging an elaborate show in order to meet his own ends.  It is extremely risky for his people to hope for a good outcome.  Because hope involves an emotional investment, energy and focus and risks huge disappointment if it is unfulfilled.  And and the Kim dynasty have proved themselves to be incapable of putting their own people first.  People can change - but the track record doesnt look good

Which is why we are told to put our hope in Jesus.

Hoping for change, hoping for peace, hoping for freedom, prosperity, happiness......  these things only come in the shape of a person.  And He is trustworthy and true.   He is the embodiment of all that we hope for.  Kim and Donald cannot bring change and peace and joy and love because they don't embody those things themselves.  Jesus does.  Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  His very essence is life and peace and love.  So we can hope in Him and not fear disappointment .     Hope in other things can sometimes make our hearts sick.  Hope in Jesus is always good.