It may very well be the enemy's greatest punch because it is the earthly defeat of hope.
It is certainly not the last word on hope because Jesus defeated Death itself. He created Hope, our heavenly destination for which our soul longs. Regardless of how we translate from life to death, we find ourselves before the Lord, the author of Hope (2 Corinthians 5).
It seems there are three camps of hope, and each of us belongs to one of them:
Camp Strong: where hope is easily accessed, hopelessness held at bay with a reasonable amount of effort.
Camp Slide: where hope is slipping away and it is increasingly difficult to say no to the voices of defeat.
Camp Defeat: where hope seems absent and only excruciating pain is the menu of each day.For the next three days, we will visit these camps, seeking to understand their characteristics, operation, and power source.
For today, consider the camp to which you currently belong. If you see yourself in Camp Slide or Camp Defeat, ask God to mute the voices long enough for you to hear hope for these next few days.
Our destination is obviously Camp Strong, but many of us are anywhere but there.
Whatever camp you are in, know that it is okay.
In God's currency, help--and hope--are always on the way.
