I just want to say this:
"Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us." (Rom. 5:3-5)
There are many words to say on this which I cannot say right now. But this is the anthem of the Christian. This is the anthem of the life of a man who has chosen to be in communion with God. This is the life of a person who has been invited, who has heard the call, and has responded. This is the truth that leads the follower of Christ. This is the mandate, the mantra, the goal, the end. This is the path and the way, the transforming power. This is the boat that carries and the sign that instructs. This is the bow that shoots the arrows of love straight into the heart of the world. It is Hope.
Hope cannot be separated from Love (nor from Faith, but specifically here, Love). These two walk hand and hand. It is the confidence, the assurance that stems from the knowledge of the Love that immediately evokes the Hope. In like form, the immanence of the Hope solicits the positivity of the Love, the complete presence of the other always with you.
One thing that cannot be taken for granted of forgotten is that Love transcends. This is the full character of the Hope that is present in the hearts of the Apostles and should remain present in our hearts today. They live in the knowledge of the One who was, is, and is to come. This is not just a method of thinking or a theological approach! Nor is it simply a traditional description of the work of God - no, that is too small a description for what is assumed here. This is the Truth of Love.
1. It endures.
2. It never fails.
3. It lives, it is alive.
4. Where it lives, it lives in its fullness.
5. In its fullness, love cannot be detached or disassociated from any of its "being" at any point in history.
6. This means that love necessarily brings with it all of its actions, intentions, desires, hopes, trusts, risks, gifts, etc... that have been a part of its nature and character from the beginning. From the beginning of each participant in the love and from the beginning of the love that is now its own by its shared character between persons.
7. This means that love destroys our typical mentality of "a fixed point on a line of history." Love assumes a horizontal and vertical character, and they cannot be divided. The one who loves, loves the other for all of the past moments, memories, experiences, leading up to that point. That one also loves the other in the light of what is to come, under the banner of the promise of more love to be present tomorrow, and the day after, and the year after that. The love requires the points on the horizontal line to be included and bound together. The moment of time being experienced cannot be taken as true without the other instances that have been and the many that will come. The horizontal character means that this love necessarily brings new birth, new life, to the hearts and lives of those who love. It must generate, it must develop, and it must transcend. It cannot be static nor can it remain solely within those who love! It must become its own, its own world and its own being. There, within the love, they can grow and foster the love, strengthen its bonds and deepen its foundation, always keeping in mind all that has been before and all that will come.
8. This leads absolutely to the sister, Hope, as perhaps is often not considered. Think of it! Where Love must contain all of the history and memory and possibility and potential of the lovers, it therefore could not exist outside of the realm of Hope. Hope is where every falsehood, every darkness, every attack, every affront on the beautiful and fragile wings of Love unfolding into its own life and otherness are turned back. In the face of Hope, they cannot persist. Defeated or laughed at, Hope requires the humility that is the deep power of Love. Such Love bears the inscription of awe and wonder at the gift of the other, at the beauty of the new love being born, at the presence of the other in the heart and life, at the transcendence of the love over all else...this awe is humbling. The gift is humbling. The truth is humbling. We are not worthy. We cannot care for it as we should. We fail to give our all in return. We are petty, selfish, worn out, impatient, foolish. We do not aspire to the heights this Love is rushing to reach! And so in this honesty we are humble, for we still love, and we are still loved, despite all of this. And so Hope, strengthened in this knowledge that, even in defeat, we will triumph, carries us over the breadths of the deserts and the tumults of the seas.
Oh, so let us never lose our Hope. To give up on Hope is to deny Love its truth. We cannot live like that. We must not. Hope will guide us, even in the darkest of places. "There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear..." 1 John 4:18.
No comments:
Post a Comment