Dealers in hope in hopeless times

Thu, Apr 5. 2012

by BISHOP SONNY E. WILLIAMS
Presiding Bishop: Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies, St. Vincent and the Grenadines District

Our nation and world today are faced with problems that appear insurmountable. Security and defence problems are staggering. Many of our youths, our future leaders, are confused, alienated and demoralized. Morals are at an all-time low. Moral standards are almost nonexistent. The growing national debt, financially troubled businesses and economic instability are creating more alarm each passing day.{{more}}

These can produce an incredibly debilitating force called fear. In view of this grave threat to society, there is an anguished cry for leaders who are “dealers in hope”, to borrow the words of Napoleon Bonaparte.

How can anyone with this current reality say for sure everything will be OK? The celebration of Easter points to this answer. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is without doubt our hope for the future. The belief in the Resurrection helps us deal with difficulties. The song writer succinctly puts it: “Because I know he holds the future…..life is worth the living just because he lives”.

The Resurrection is everything to Christianity. The crucifixion loses its meaning without the Resurrection. The Life of Christ is a waste without the Resurrection. The death of Christ becomes the more heroic death of a noble martyr. Or, it becomes the execution of a fraud or maybe it becomes the pathetic death of a deranged mad man. There will be no church if he had not risen from the dead. The gospel will be powerless. If there is no Resurrection our faith is pointless. Paul argues, “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Cor. 15:13-14).

The Resurrection gives us a new perspective on dealing with problems. Hope is grounded in the realization that nothing is permanent. Winter’s formidable chill and darkness will surrender to the warmth and light of spring. Hope shines the brightest when the hour is darkest. Hope motivates when discouragement comes and brings victory even when all clearly points to the opposite.

Let us focus less on our fears and failures. Let the Resurrected Lord inspire and energize us to dream about what is possible. For those in Christ, the best is yet to come.

The Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies wishes the nation a blessed Easter and encourages all to keep hope alive.