Planting Hope

 Jeremiah 33:14-16; Luke 21:25-36

Sometimes we forget. We forget that the prophets not only condemned, not only showed the people the right ways in which to walk, not only listed all the wrongs they had done, but today they plant hope. "The days are surely coming..." Is always a sign of this. It signals that the prophet has good news to bring. Even though these days are bad, you are not forgotten, you are not abandoned, this is the sign. 

And what is this sign? All the things which are considered weak. A baby, a manger, a stable, a branch. Not the tree which you think might be strong. We start right off in this season seeing all we consider weak as a sign of hope. 

Power is not in strength or might or crushing, but in holding fragile things as a promise of hope. Lame walk, blind see, dead arise to what? But these are all the promises of hope. Deserts green, lions laying down with a lamb it is all a wonder we believe, we strive for hope. 

When this world seems its most broken there is hope. Can you see the signs of hope? This is what Jesus is asking us today. Not to look for all the bad things, but where is the kingdom of God drawing near. It is drawing near every time someone plants a twig of hope. 

Hope is the hardest thing to spot when all the world wants to focus on the gloom and doom. But hope is what is asked for in the quiet and hidden places. The everyday spaces which are missed by the larger world, but are seen in the local places. 

Feeding ministries, caring ministries, help with paying off medical debt, paying for school lunches so every child eats these are just a few of the examples. There are so many others we hear about or don't know about because planting hope is not a news item. This is why this season is so lovely.

In the midst of the harshness of winter, snow and cold we plant hope. We sing hope in every hymn and carol. It is the smallest of gifts yet it shines the brightest because it gives a constant guide of who we can be and what this world might look like if we only take Jesus' words to heart and go about seeing and creating the spaces where the kingdom of God draws near. 

Go today and plant hope for those who have lost it. Find the places of hope in this world and shine the spotlight on them. Go and be the givers of hope.