CREDIT: Marco Verch, Professional Photographer

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As a long-time baseball fan, I’m “trained” that “hope springs eternal” at each season’s end. Only one team, and it is most often not mine, wins the World Series. For the rest of us, we wait until next season … hoping for some new players that will lift our team to World Series glory. “Hope springs eternal” as we pass through the dying days of Fall into the darkness of Winter.

This idea of baseball – and to a similar extent any sport with a long season – is a good visual for our life as children of God. We live our lives in Christ, but it doesn’t always seem to go the way we plan. Along with joy and victory, we have our share of disappointments, frustrations, and tragedies. But as Christians, we have faith in something that enables our “hope to spring eternal.” “For as in Adam (a man like us) all die, so also in Christ (a man like us, as well as also fully God) shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22) 

Our faith in Jesus Christ, His death on the cross – which enables the forgiveness of sin and His resurrection from the dead – which enables our own resurrection on the last day, gives us all “hope that springs eternal.” We know we will, at some point, fall into death. But the darkness of death is only temporary. On the last day, after Jesus “has put all His enemies under His feet (including death itself),” (1 Corinthians 15:25-26) Jesus will return in glory. On that day, we who believe in Him will spring to new and eternal life. 

As we wait for that day, let us respond to His love for us by loving Him and those He places in our lives; especially the poor, sick, estranged, and imprisoned with our time, talent, and treasure. In this way we do, in fact, love God as we love our neighbor. And when our King returns, He’ll invite us into His eternal kingdom to live forever. (Matthew 25:34-36)

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Jim