Can you Imagine a world without Hope?

Can you imagine what state of mind most of us would be in if we knew what the future holds for us? When I was a little girl, I recall going to the beach, in the amusement section, inserting a coin in the slot of a shed-like glass box, which housed a lady with a Crystal ball, wearing a turbine, and after having told your fortune, a rolled paper, personalized just for you, came down the shoot with what your future holds on it, based on your birthday. It was all in fun, and we all agreed that whatever it said, was not to be taken seriously. Yet, for many, fortune-telling rakes in big bucks, for the gullible, and that's no joke.

Last night, we had bible class and if you are a person that reads the scripture, you will know that the way time was interpreted, many years ago, was somewhat different than today. Yet, we try to understand time, as if it could be understood. God is the author of time, and it is said, that one day is but a thousand years to Him. Are you confused yet? Join the crowd. The fact is, that the past and present, are still the same, without calculation of man-made time. There is no future, as it is not here yet. So why be concerned about something that does not exist?  You cannot live in tomorrow, today.  How can one see what does not exist. It is a scam. Most of us want everything, yesterday. The reality of it is, that there is only "now". When we wake up in the morning, (which would be our tomorrow), we will call it today.

In my mind, when we want to avoid doing something today, we put it off to tomorrow. Sometimes, we end up not doing it at all. "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today," That was a famous saying of the past, (yest-er years). Did you ever notice that some days seem to fly by yet, others drag on. There is no accounting for time. Lack of time is eternity, or when time ceases to exist.  

Tomorrow is a great mystery, it is filled with imagination, and possibilities, restoration, newness and "hope". We can only guess what the future holds by recalling our past history. Thinking about it, or worrying about something we don't have control of is a waste of time-- just like reverting to the past, which we can do nothing about. Move on...But today, we have something we can work with. Make this and everyday count. Let this be your best day yet.

Could you imagine living in a world without time? It would be in many ways "complete madness". Today, we have one word that describes tomorrow and that is "hope." When growing up I used to sing this song that my mother taught me, with my sister Ruth. It seemed to say it all for all time. Do you remember this one?

Soft as the voice of an angel, breathing a lesson unheard
Hope with its gentle persuasion whispers her comforting word
Wait till the darkness is over, wait till the tempest is gone
Hope for the sunshine tomorrow, after the shower is gone

Whispering hope, oh, how welcome thy voice
Making my heart in its sorrow rejoice

Hope for all time is what we do have.