Hope and Recession

on Feb 25 in Church, Everyday Life

Last evening, I sat in front of the television and watched President Obama’s Not State of the Union Address. And no matter where you land on the Obama support scale, we cannot possibly miss this.

The Church has a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The one thing money will never be able to purchase (via bailout, stimulus, or otherwise) is the very thing the Church can uniquely offer to the world.

We can uniquely offer hope.

Real hope.

Hope that lasts.

Hope that won’t fade away.

What brand of hope can we possibly offer a world that has learned to put its hope in financial success, and has been left wanting?

First, we can offer the unique hope of a RELATIONALLY PRESENT GOD. In the middle of our financial meltdown, God is not running the other way, or turning His back on creation. He is walking with us, near us, supporting us.

Second, we can offer the hope of a relationally present God WHO REIGNS. I don’t want to be trite here and say something stupid like “God is in control”. That implies that we can all just sit on our butts until this whole recession thing blows over, because God is in control anyway. It’s just not that simple.

When Scripture declares that “God reigns”, the writers understood God as someone who is entirely above His creation, and who isn’t surprised by a Wall Street meltdown or a housing collapse. God is not caught off guard by our financial mess. God’s purpose is still redemption, and we partner with Him every day to carry redemption to all of creation.

Redemption carriers.

With a relationally-present God who reigns.

I like that.

My hunch is that God isn’t calling our churches to another program – at least right now. Instead, God is calling Christians everywhere to offer hope on a very PERSONAL level to friends, coworkers, and family members during the other six days of the week. And the hope we offer is simple: We reflect, and speak lovingly of a relationally-present God who reigns.

I pray I have the courage, and the compassion, to offer this kind of hope to the real people I bump up against every day. Honestly, I’m not exactly sure what to say, or how to say it. I just know I don’t want to wait for my church leaders to come up with a program before I offer hope to my little world.

Because make no mistake: The Church has a once in a lifetime opportunity.

And by “the Church”, I mean “me”.