For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.
[Excerpted from A Way of Life by Anthony J. Chvala-Smith, Herald Publishing House, 2019, pp. 132–134]
Christian faith holds that we live in a world that God will bring to its own Easter, toward liberation from all that diminishes life. If that is true, our actions for the reign of God are never in vain but are graced with Christ’s risen power, and thus are themselves signs of the dawning kingdom.
To care for our planet, to be makers of peace and friends of justice for the poor and marginalized is to embody creation’s future in this present moment. Christians far too often have treated their hope as an excuse to avoid healing the evils of the world. Dreadful misreadings of the book of Revelation and the apocalyptic symbolism of other biblical writings have been used to justify abandonment of the good creation and frighten people into passive acceptance of injustice.
We often have been bystanders in the drama of history, falsely assuming our actions made no difference, and everything would be better beyond death anyway. This attitude is the moral equivalent of burying our talent, or worse, playing a perilous game of change with creation’s future. It turns the hope for the age to come into a tool of oppression.
On the contrary, hope for that age is our charter for living here and now a radical vision of the future, when God will be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28), and justice and peace will sweep the world.
The Bible closes with the image of the new holy city coming to Earth (Revelation 21). We take that to be a promise that community is the future of the human race. The cause of Zion calls us to promote local and worldwide communities that signal the peaceful reign of God on Earth by working to mend neighborhoods, nations, and nature. This work is difficult, but not futile. The age to come is about perfecting life together. God, whose threefold name reveals the divine community, intends human life to reflect the divine reality. That is the end for which we were created. That is the end for which our humanity is being renewed. Because of this promise, we embrace in hope the cause of Zion.
Prayer Phrase
“What can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).
Spiritual Practice
Breathe Hope
Find a quiet space where you can sit without distractions. Light a candle. Take a few deep breaths, allowing your body to relax with each exhale. As you breathe, let go of any tension or worries you may be holding onto. Take notice of the way the flame dances and flickers, casting light and shadow in the room. As you observe the flame, imagine it symbolizing the spark of hope within you. With each breath, imagine the flame growing brighter and stronger. Visualize this light spreading throughout your body, filling you with a sense of hope and positivity. Take a moment to express gratitude for the blessings in your life, no matter how small they may seem.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.