Hope Is Not Dead!

Hope is NOT Dead!

Mark 4:21-25

Mark 4:21 And He was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? 22 “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light. 23 “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides. 25 “For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”

Today’s society wants you to believe that hope is dead. The parable in Mark 4:21-22 says that a lamp is not put under a bed or a basket because its light would be blocked. Hope is a metaphor for light in this parable. Society has covered up the lamp of hope, and it no longer radiates. Our society wants us to believe that we are living in hopeless times. The social media and news broadcasts that people seem to live by tells us that darker and darker days are ahead because of the Covid-19 virus. When we believe that hope is gone, we allow ourselves to be controlled by society, giving up several freedoms. Hope is being driven out of many people. Fear has replaced hope. It is easy to control and oppress a people when hope is gone.

In Jesus’ day, the Roman government and army were able to squelch hope from the Hebrew people. The leaders of the Temple and local government perpetuated the belief that hope was gone. The armies of Rome replaced hope with fear. The people lived in fear and had lost their hope. Their hope used to be in the LORD, who was always there to save the remanent. The LORD promised the Hebrew people that no matter what happened on Earth, they would survive. Even though they believed this with all their hearts, that hope was being extinguished by the Romans.

Jesus’ message to the Hebrew people is the return of hope in the LORD. The world is not a fair place and certainly was not under Roman occupation. But there is a better way to live. Restoring hope can make this world a paradise. It is hope that will drive out fear. It is hope that shines upon us to show us that another, definitely better way to live is the LORD’s plan for us. Jesus told the people that the LORD was still with them. If the people returned to hope in the LORD, things would get better.

The occupying army of oppression today is the fear that social media and the news broadcasts have created about Covid-19. It is the army of oppression. Is Covid-19 something to be feared? No, it is something that should be respected. You do not want to contract this disease. Many souls have been lost to the pandemic, and thus, one must take the necessary precautions to avoid it. But that does not mean that one should give up hope in the resolution of the disease. When fear replaces hope, a person can be easily controlled. You must not allow society to place fear into you because you will submit to whatever your oppressor wants.

Fear is replacing hope because we are being told that darker days are ahead. I say that brighter days are ahead. I can see the LORD working in the solution and eradication of the pandemic. How did you ask? First, it has to be acknowledged that Covid-19 is a human-made problem. The exact manner of its creation is debatable, but our society and usage of the planet bring these viruses to life. Also, we must acknowledge that the LORD has given us free will and free choice. Ok, now that it is out there, the question is, “Why has the LORD not removed Covid-19?” The simple answer is that the LORD is spirit, and we are flesh. Richard Foster’s book titled “Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home” said that the LORD does not answer materialistically based prayers. Why? Because the LORD is not physical.

So, why pray for the eradication of Covid-19? The Sages of Israel told us that we could pray for the LORD’s powers to help us and show us the mercy of the LORD. I have been praying for the LORD’s wisdom to be sent to the doctors, nurses, and caregivers to help Covid-19 patients. Also, I have been praying for the LORD’s wisdom to come upon the doctors and researchers attempting to create a vaccine that would eliminate Covid-19. That prayer was answered, and the vaccine is being distributed around the world. A good prayer now is for patience from the LORD to come over the world’s people because the distribution of a vaccine to 6 billion people will take some time. The mercy of the LORD is upon us.