Inauguration Day 2009
How many superlatives have been used over the course of today as Barack Obama took office as the 44th President of the United States of America: transformation, change, remaking America, hope, future... to name but a few. One newscaster on Radio 5 described the thronging crowds in Washington DC as worshipping at the church of Obama. It's hard not to get swept along by the excitement and euphoria.
It was exciting; it was momentous to watch as the first African American was sworn in to office. I am excited and happy to have experienced this day, although over 2000 miles away.
But, Obama is only a man. The real job of leading starts now and I hope and pray that Obama will be a wise and discerning President. In a sense, Obama has set himself up to fail, because hope can mean so many things to so many different people, without actually being defined. I hope that Obama does make a good President, both for the United States and for the wider world.
But, Obama is only a man. He may be a good man; he may be an exceptional and wise, intelligent man, far exceeding his peers. But, he is still a man. Some of today's zeal - and some during the election campaign - was almost messianic in its fervour. Please don't take me wrongly. History has been made. When Obama was born, some parts of the United States were still experiencing segregation.
But, Obama's message of hope is not infallible hope. It is not unshakable hope. The only place that absolute hope can be found is in another man, the Man Christ Jesus, who also came on a wave of hope to the world. Not political hope but spiritual hope. Not temporary hope but lasting hope. Hope that is assured and promised to those who put their faith in and cling to Jesus, because of his death and resurrection. We live in a world which is falling apart, which is transitory and fleeting. The stock exchange was reported today as being the worst ever on Inauguration Day. We get little glimpses of hope in this life of brave leadership.
But, I'm talking about One greater than that, who is not only man but who is also God in the flesh. God with us. That is real Hope and one where I am willing to put my faith.
Showing posts with label Hope. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hope. Show all posts
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
The Hope of Spring
A vivid yellow splash of colour under a graffiti-sprayed flyover caught my eyes recently as I was driving to Glasgow. I was driving to an Easter Sunday morning service in Glasgow thinking of the mess and chaos of the world within and without when I noticed the daffodils. There they were, sheltered under the bridge, amongst the traffic, the rubbish, the bottles and the art-work painted on the uprights.
Those daffodils were a timely reminder to me of what it means to be a Christian. We are here in this world, living on a fallen planet, surrounded by chaos and beauty and sin and suffering and righteousness.
Those daffodils made me think of that first resurrection Sunday. Scriptures speak of the need for Jesus to leave heaven, to be born on this earth and to live a perfect life, amidst the pain, the suffering, rejection, ridicule. He was a good man, a good teacher, a prophet, yes, but he was so much more. He was God in the flesh, showing a fallen and degraded mankind the way back to a relationship with a perfect and justly holy God. Jesus was willing to condescend so much that he became one of us - a man who would hunger, hurt, weep and suffer. A man who would heal, comfort, restore and laugh. A man who was willing to get his hands dirty in the mess and humanity of the world. A man who was put to death on a cross. Jesus, although Scriptures tell us he had no beauty that we should esteem him, was beautiful in how he lived that perfect life and how he spoke of the way back to God. He was like those daffodils surrounded by ugliness.
Three days after lying in the grave, Jesus rose from the dead, with the Father's approval that he had paid the penalty for sin, our sin. He had no sin of his own - he did not deserve to die or to suffer in any way and, yet, he chose to suffer in the worst way imaginable. Jesus gladly chose to receive our sin transferred to his unblemished account. And, what did we receive in return? His perfect, spotless righteousness. Righteousness acceptable to God transferred to our overdrawn and bankrupt account.
That is the hope of Easter, that is the power of the resurrection bursting into the darkness of this world! That is our only hope.
Those daffodils were a timely reminder to me of what it means to be a Christian. We are here in this world, living on a fallen planet, surrounded by chaos and beauty and sin and suffering and righteousness.
Those daffodils made me think of that first resurrection Sunday. Scriptures speak of the need for Jesus to leave heaven, to be born on this earth and to live a perfect life, amidst the pain, the suffering, rejection, ridicule. He was a good man, a good teacher, a prophet, yes, but he was so much more. He was God in the flesh, showing a fallen and degraded mankind the way back to a relationship with a perfect and justly holy God. Jesus was willing to condescend so much that he became one of us - a man who would hunger, hurt, weep and suffer. A man who would heal, comfort, restore and laugh. A man who was willing to get his hands dirty in the mess and humanity of the world. A man who was put to death on a cross. Jesus, although Scriptures tell us he had no beauty that we should esteem him, was beautiful in how he lived that perfect life and how he spoke of the way back to God. He was like those daffodils surrounded by ugliness.
Three days after lying in the grave, Jesus rose from the dead, with the Father's approval that he had paid the penalty for sin, our sin. He had no sin of his own - he did not deserve to die or to suffer in any way and, yet, he chose to suffer in the worst way imaginable. Jesus gladly chose to receive our sin transferred to his unblemished account. And, what did we receive in return? His perfect, spotless righteousness. Righteousness acceptable to God transferred to our overdrawn and bankrupt account.
That is the hope of Easter, that is the power of the resurrection bursting into the darkness of this world! That is our only hope.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)