Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Thursday August 4, 2011

When I was a boy, bereft of any sort of faith, I recall hearing Roy Rogers and Dale Evans sing a song with the words, "Have faith hope and charity, that's the way to live successfully." I had no idea the song was based on a biblical passage, but I knew if the King of The Cowboys liked the song there must be something to it.

I now know that a time is coming when there will no longer be a need for faith or hope, but love will exist eternally. Until then it is a very good thing to have hope. To have hope that is real rather than merely wishful thinking is the best kind of hope.

In his autobiography, Doctor's Progress, Dr. McNair Wilson wrote "Hope is the medicine I use more than any other, hope can cure nearly anything." Most people that come to me for marriage counseling do so after being convinced by the evidence that there is no hope for their marriage. They make one last ditch attempt for the sake of the children. The only hope of success is to find some reason, even farfetched to restore hope that this just may work. Even a glimmer of hope can light a fire of restoration of life, the power to go on.

At life's darkest time it is encouraging to remember hope. It is reputed that at his brother's grave, the 19th century agnostic, Robert Ingersoll stated, "Hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing, lie who sleeps here when dying, mistaking the approach of death for the return of health, whispered with his latest breath, 'I am better now.' Let us believe, in spite of doubts and dogmas, and tears and fears, that these dear words are true of all the countless dead."

Even the deep chamber of an agnostic's heart lay hope, faint to be sure, but hope nonetheless. If Ingersoll could desperately search out hope in his darkest of times, surely people who have a Bible can find hope for a "dead marriage."

The time in which we are living calls for enormous hope, for the courage to believe that all is not lost, our country, the grandest one yet conceived and carved out of a wilderness can ask of God a revival, a restoration of the hope against hope demonstrated at Valley Forge and place where Outrageous Hope prevailed against all odds.

While reading, listening or watching, I hear that such and such are hopeless situations or so and so is a hopeless case. As long as Christ is alive there are no hopeless people or situations.

The word hope is found 122 times in scripture. I could not find hopeless. The Psalmist wrote in Psalms 31:24 "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD."

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2011 Use with credit.

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