Are We Really People of Hope?

"Against all hope, Abrahm believed and so was the father of all nations." Romans 4;18.

In a first interpretation, "against" can be terribly confusing, for that first interpretation might be that there was a hope that ran contrary to what Abraham believed. Not so, for, it was Abraham's faith hope that enabled him to live out Go'd's intentions. Thus, Paul reminded the Roman that because Abraham believed he persevered; thus, becoming the father of all nations.

In Paul's eyes Abraham was not just the father of the Jews but the father of ALL nations." In other words, had it not been for Abraham's faith, a nation for Jews as well as nations for others would have never been given birth. We owe it all to Abraham and his faith-hope.

Hope was, and is a powerful tool of faith, which runs contrary to the rather casual way we moderns sometimes use the four letters, as in: "I hope to get there on time," or "I hope that is (or is not) what will happen." Paul was declaring to the Roman Christians that they too were children of hope; that whent they were in deep trouble; and if the trouble worsens that they should hope some more'. They should never stop hoping.

Oh, how I need to remember Paul's message in the here and now of the 21st century, during which things often look terribly hopeless. Discrimination continues, and ts even getting worse; as are many of the wrongs that human beings commit.

To understand fully Paul's meaning, it is most helpful to think about what is means to be without hope. If Abraham had been without hope, we would not exist; we would not have the world we have.

We would be alive perhaps, but without hope. We would be beyond discouragement. We would believe that nothing good lasts, even when it may take place momentarily.

Paul asserts his point throughout every one of his epistles, hope against hope. Never cease believing that things will get better.

It's also important that Abraham was a human being; but. thank God, a human being who hoped against hope, and believed.

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So it is that we of today who call ourselves Christian, we must ask if we are among the true children of Abraham?

We certainly hope so.