Hope is awakened yet again!
By Ron Otto
Lincoln Christian Church

[April 04, 2023]  I’m remodeling the bathroom. I feel like I’m doing a pretty good job for an amateur. I invited my wife to come in and see my progress and hopefully get a little praise; a little, “You are such a good boy…yes you are.”

However, she feels she’s more of a quality control inspector. That it’s her job to inspect my work to make sure it’s right. She’s looking for imperfections. And sure enough, she spots a few right away…it’s her gift.  Lol

There always seems to be a season where we all undergo reconstruction. I have to have my hope rebuilt from time to time. Hope can become so weathered and damaged in this world. I wasn’t paying attention to how fears were creeping in.

Me fear? Sure! Don’t we all?

My fear is financial. I can easily stress over retirement money. Will I have enough? Most of you get this. However, it was affecting my hope quota. Hope doesn’t always stay intact. It leaks away if I don’t rebuild it from time to time.

I love Christmas but if Christmas is all you have to build hope on, then the baby Jesus story brings a little excitement for a month, but it’s gone by the new year.

I needed something more. Something stronger to build my hope on. I wanted to feel good for more than just a season.

The truth of my faith hangs not on Christmas but on Easter. It is the RESURRECTION that changed everything. It’s the resurrection that has awakened my hope yet again. I needed Easter.

Pope John Paul the II said, “Don’t abandon yourself to despair. We are the Easter people and Hallelujah is our song.”

I am an Easter person. I will not be abandoned to despair. Hallelujah is my song. I wasn’t expecting Easter to fill me with so much hope this year. But that is exactly what is happening. Hope is awakened yet again!