There have been several things in the news lately that have caused concern for Christians and other people who have a sense of morality and values. One has been the alarming victories the radical homosexual cause has had in our courts and the effect it is sure to have on our families. It now looks as though gay marriages could be legalized in the relatively near future. There have been other reports to lead one to wonder if there is not a complete moral vacuum in many of our public schools. The Ten Commandments seem to be an unwelcome sight in the public arena. Appointments to federal judgeships are being blocked because the appointees lean toward a moderate or conservative understanding of the law. The Episcopal church has ordained an openly homosexual bishop. After many years of prayer and work, a bill against a particularly brutal form of abortion was passed and signed by our President, but it looks like it may be killed in the legal system.
These are indeed disturbing events. And that is not to mention the pile of personal problems and discouraging situations which people are dealing with today. If you focused on all the things wrong in the world and in your personal life, you could get very depressed. You might lose hope and want to give up. In 1990, a national survey was taken in which seven out of ten people reported having hope in the future. But in a national poll taken in the Fall of 2001 by the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, only one in five report they often feel hopeful about the future. But I believe that there is more going on than meets the eye. I am an optimist. I believe God is at work and will ultimately have his way. I look at life positively and hopefully. And I do that for several reasons.
The first reason I am an optimist is because: I serve a God who is in control. I often think about the early church and the culture in which it not only survived, but thrived. Most early Christians lived within the bounds of the Roman empire where there were persecutions. It was literally a national sport to throw the Christians to the lions as cheering crowds watched them be torn apart. The Roman roads were often lined with crosses on which Christians hung because they would not denounce Christ. Not only was abortion acceptable, a father could kill his child at any age. Homosexuality was completely accepted and practiced openly. The government was completely hostile toward Christianity and anyone who was a follower of Christ. And yet it was during this time of enormous opposition that the church grew and flourished more than at any other time in its history. They did not expect the world to be friendly to them and their values — and neither should we. The movement of the Spirit of God is an unstoppable force. It does not matter how much opposition there is, God is in control and he will have his way. We keep thinking we have to have a “Christian” government for Christianity to thrive, but that is just not true, as history proves. In fact, the places in the world today where the Christian faith is spreading most rapidly are in those countries where persecution is most extreme. I was disturbed by hearing a prominent Christian leader make the statement about a bill he thought should be passed by Congress, “If this fails, Christianity will fail.” Nothing could be more absurd.
The Bible says, “Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us ’ He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury” (Psalm 2:1-5, NASB). It is as if God is saying, “Go ahead and rebel, and see if it makes any difference. You are pursuing madness. You are hitting your head against a brick wall, and you will end up destroying yourself.” God is in control no matter how things look. That does not necessarily mean that our nation will always be prosperous or safe. It does not mean that our government will always be tolerant of the Christian faith or those who practice it. But it does mean that there is a God who is control of history, and he will have the final word. This is our hope and confidence. The Psalmist exulted: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” (Psalm 46:1-3). As the author of Hebrews reminds us: “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6).
I’m not sure what a person does without God in this world. What would keep you positive in a world filled with conflict and trouble if you did not have God? Where would you go for strength and hope? It is interesting that the movies and television are becoming very dark. There is a pessimistic mood accompanied by an atmosphere of despair. Take a new look at the characters in some of the top television programs like CSI, NYPD Blue, Law and Order, The Practice and all their spinoffs. Their lives are pathetic and grim. There is not much joy. Their personal lives do not seem to have much meaning outside of their work. Many of them are very dysfunctional. But then what would you expect from an industry that sets itself against all forms of transcendent values?
But we have the faith that says, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). We believe in a God who created the world and everything in it. We believe that he has given us his laws to show us how to live. We believe that he loves and cares for us. We believe that God sent his Son into the world to save the world. We believe that we have a returning Savior who will claim the world as his own, set up his righteous kingdom and invite us to rule with him. We believe that we have a home in eternal glory. We believe that the God who began the world will end the world, and he will punish those who are evil and reward the righteous. He will right every wrong in the world. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
The second reason that I am an optimist is: I stand on the promises of God. I not only believe that God is in control, I believe that he intimately cares for me and you. We serve a God who has made great promises to us. The apostle Peter said, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:3-4). God does not come to us speaking harshly and threatening us. He does not talk of his disappointment in us; he comes speaking the language of love. The apostle John says to us: “And this is what he promised us — even eternal life” (1 John 2:25). Paul wrote: “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
God assures us of his love for us with promises like: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:2). Those are the words of a caring God who is promising to get us through all of the storms of life.
One of the comical parts of the recent war with Iraq was the daily report of Mohammed al-Sahhaf, Iraq’s Minister of Information. Every day on TV he refuted clear evidence that Iraq was losing the war. On April 6, after coalition forces seized Baghdad’s Saddam Airport and renamed it Baghdad International Airport, planes started flying in. While planes were flying into Baghdad itself, the Miami Herald quoted al-Sahhaf saying, “We butchered the force present at the airport.” The next day, after U.S. troops penetrated central Baghdad and stormed Saddam’s Republican Palace, the Washington Post quoted al-Sahhaf saying, “There is no presence of the American columns in the city of Baghdad at all.… We besieged them, and we killed most of them.” As he was being interviewed by CNN saying the same thing, American tanks were roaming through Baghdad in the background. The media referred to al-Sahhaf as “Baghdad Bob.” He was trying to convince the Iraqi people that Saddam’s forces were winning, but his assurances were not based in reality. It reminds me of the devil trying to make us believe that evil is winning the war. It simply is not based in reality.
For instance: Communism has nearly died as a political system. The Berlin Wall has been torn down — something we never thought would happen. Do you realize that for all the teaching of evolution in our schools, that belief in a God who created the world is at an all time high? Among the young people of our country, support for legalized abortion has dropped from 48% in 1993 to 39% today. That is amazing when you consider all the propaganda hurled at our youth. In spite of the advances of homosexual causes in the courts, support for the homosexual agenda is dropping among Americans. There has been a backlash after these court cases. Time magazine recently interviewed a young mother who said that she normally chose political candidates who strongly supported welfare and abortion, but since September 11 she said, “All I want in a President is a person who is strong.”
You see, you can only believe a lie so long, and then at some point you have to face reality. The truth necessarily pushes its way into the consciousness of people. God’s Word and his promises are based on truth and reality. And when you begin to understand that, and base your life on God’s word, you have a new confidence about life. You become positive and optimistic.
The third reason I am an optimist is: I will outlive this world. I have joy because I know that this world is not all there is. When this world is over, I will still be alive in the kingdom of God. There is more to come. The Bible says, “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17). The Lord has said to us: “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). God has promised us a hope and a future. Pity the poor person who does not have this eternal perspective.
Take the case of relief pitching ace Donny Moore. He couldn’t get over losing an American League championship series game a few years ago. In a moment of total torment, he shot his wife and then shot himself. Compare that with Dave Dravecky, who not only lost a game but a career. After he gained national recognition as a pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, his pitching arm and part of his shoulder had to be removed because of soft tissue cancer. He and his wife Jan were committed Christians when this happened. They initially went through a dark time, but they are now energetically rebuilding their lives and helping others to do the same through their ministry called “Outreach of Hope.” That is the difference between someone who knows they have a future no matter what, and someone who does not.
During World War II, a minister named W. E. Sangster was the leader of British Methodists. Every night people came to the church to sleep in its fortified basement during the air raids. Every Sunday 3000 souls would fill the church to hear him. The air raid shelter was at capacity, so Sangster and his family slept in the men’s room on the first floor of the church. His reputation eventually spread overseas, and he was invited to lecture in the United States. But while he was in Texas lecturing, he began to have trouble swallowing and walking. He was eventually diagnosed with what was at that time called muscular atrophy. Near the end of his life he was barely able to lift a finger. But after his diagnosis, he threw himself into his work. “I’m only in the kindergarten of suffering,” he told people who pitied him. Gradually, Sangster’s legs became useless. His voice went completely. But he could still hold a pen, even though his hand shook badly. On Easter morning, just a few weeks before he died, he wrote a letter to his daughter. In it, he said, “It is terrible to wake up on Easter morning and have no voice to shout, ‘He is risen ’ — but it would be still more terrible to have a voice and not want to shout.”
That is what it is like to have an eternal perspective of life. You are able to see beyond this world. You understand what is important and what is not. You pour your life into the things that matter.
The Bible says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
Rodney J. Buchanan
November 23, 2003
Mulberry St. UMC
Mt. Vernon, OH
www.MulberryUMC.org
Rod.Buchanan@MulberryUMC.org
Why I Am an Optimist
Questions for November 23, 2003
1. Are you generally a pessimist or an optimist? What has contributed to your outlook?
2. What do feel is the basic mood of the American culture? What are the contributing factors to this?
3. What would your life be like if you did not have a relationship with God and believe that he was ultimately in control?
4. What reasons would an atheist have for being optimistic?
5. Read 2 Corinthians 1:20-22. What do these verses do for you?
6. Read 2 Peter 1:3-4. What does it mean to you to have a God who loves you and makes these kinds of promises to you?
7. How important is it to you to have the hope of eternal life? How does that hope affect your day to day life?
8. Read Psalm 34:15. What does this say about how God feels toward you? When you think about this, how does it affect your mood?
9. When people do not live for God, for what purpose do they live?
10. The proof of our faith often shows on our face. Can people see your testimony in the way you feel about life?
A Movie clip may be shown of "Alive" to show the eifference between pessimissim and optimism or faith: It was 1972 and a Rugby team from Uruguay was flying over the Andes mountains to play in a championship game. But on the way the plane crashes into a mountain. A film was made that details the ordeal entitled Alive. Of the 45 passengers, which included the team and some of their family members, only 16 survived. It was a ruthless ordeal of cold, wind and starvation. After 70 days, three of the young men decided to try and hike out to find help. It was a grueling climb through the Andes mountains. As they reach the top of yet another mountain, two of the men look out over what appears to be an endless horizon of mountains. As they stand there gazing at what was at once a horrible and breathtaking scene of mountain range, the two men react in totally different ways. One of them says, “Mountains. Nothing but mountains! We’ve had it. We’ve completely had it!” And then he falls to the ground because of physical and emotional exhaustion. He is in complete despair. But the other man responds, “No, we haven’t. Into these mountains somewhere there is a green valley. See the mountains over there? There’s no snow on them.” “Those mountains must be 50 miles away. Do you think we can walk 50 miles?” Canessa responds. “If we have to, we will,” says Nando. Canessa says, “I can’t.” “Yes you can.” “I can’t. I’m not as strong as you.” Nando walks over to Canessa, kneels beside him, and says: “You know what it is that we’ve lived this long the way we have? Seventy days. That we climbed these mountains? You know what it is? It’s impossible. It’s impossible, and we did it. I’m proud to be a man on a day like this. Alive. That I lived to see it. And see it in such a place. Take it in.” He stands up and looks around him. “I love you, man. Look. It’s magnificent. It’s God. It’ll carry us over every stone. I swear. I swear it to you.” Nando turns around to look at Canessa, now standing. They agree to send the third man back to the plane and take his extra food. Nando stands beside Canessa and points. “You see where the sun’s going to set. That way’s west. Into the west of the green valleys of Chile.” “We’re going to die, you know,” Canessa insists. Nando declares, “Maybe. But if we die, we’re going to die walking.”
