Hope Remains

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4

The birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus means that one day everything sad will come untrue. J.R.R. Tolkien

Hello Friends,

In the wake of the spiritual, physical, social, technological, and cultural battles being waged upon us individually and collectively, sometimes the strength of words cannot accurately describe the condition of one’s heart. The gravity of aching and longing is simply too great.  

Yet, there is hope.

Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines hope as "a desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable. Hope differs from wish and desire in this, that it implies some expectation of obtaining the good desired, or the possibility of possessing it. Hope therefore always gives pleasure or joy; whereas wish and desire may produce or be accompanied with pain and anxiety.”   

The present use of the word hope has unfortunately been relegated to the “wish or desire” level. It is being used incorrectly. We subjectively wish or desire for all things right and good, but our hope, at all times, should be in Christ alone. When hardship and devastation press in, we rightly petition our desires through prayer, yet all the while maintain hope that our Creator, Savior, and Comforter knows what’s best. It is with hope that we endure life’s battles with a “peace that passeth all understanding”. 

Our todays and tomorrows desperately need to be reminded of this truth.

In the coming weeks, we will be discussing our Biblical responsibilities as believers in this broken world. Additionally, we will celebrate examples of the awe-inspiring Kingdom work that is taking place far and wide. It is vital that we, as believers, continue to educate ourselves and encourage one another Biblically, while highlighting and rejoicing over individuals’ commitments to sharing the hope of the Gospel.   

For a moment, journey with me into the HIStory of a young man of twenty-five. His heart was centered on the hope of the Gospel. Having personally endured physical obstacles throughout his life, this young man’s focus was on medical missions. His love of Christ was evident and his zeal for service contagious. He was attending a Christian university to prepare for his calling. With all that he had gone through and suffered, he faithfully testified to the unwavering goodness and hope that Jesus Christ had always provided him. On February 14th, he walked into his Savior’s embrace.

 Hope’s culmination is Heaven. 

Worldwide accounts of struggle and loss are overwhelming.

Hope remains.

Countless individuals in our country, state, and community are, at this very moment, in the midst of the fight of their lives. While their names or circumstances may be unknown, collective prayer from the body of Christ is powerful.

Hope remains.  

If you are currently facing difficulty, know that you are being prayed for and are loved.

Hope remains.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

Author

tonya c. gordon

tgordon@renewanation.org

The Same Truth

February 5, 2021

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

In The Four Loves, CS Lewis asserts that “what draws people to be friends is that they see the same truth. They share it.”

            Photo by Sam Balye

Hello friends,

Even though we have never met, we are bound by the belief in the infallible truth of God’s Word and the collective agreement that one must possess a Biblical Worldview to properly navigate this earthly journey. Dr. Overman has educated and challenged each of us to critically examine our culture and its assumptions, so that we may be better equipped to view all of God’s creation and the stewardship of it through a Biblical Worldview lens.

My name is Tonya Gordon, and I am the Director of the RenewaNation Educators Advancement Program (REAP). I have been blessed with the stewardship of the Worldview Matters blog, as well as some other new initiatives that we will be sharing in the very near future. If you are unfamiliar with RenewaNation, please go to www.renewanation.org to learn more about our vision, mission, and the ministry divisions that God has employed to carry out His Kingdom work. Every other Tuesday, our Founder and President, Jeff Keaton, sends out a RenewaNation electronic newsletter, a collection of informative Biblical Worldview articles. Please be sure to subscribe to it through our website to receive next week’s edition. RenewaNation’s Worldview Matters Blog will be featured every other week, opposite the newsletter release.

Again, we greatly appreciate and are excited to carry the Worldview Matters torch! Dr. Overman is a longtime friend and partner of RenewaNation. Please join us in celebrating and thanking him for the exemplary and life-changing work he has invested in us all!

What can I say but a huge thank you to Dr. Christian Overman for his many years of service to the ministry of Worldview Matters. Like me, many of you have been reading his weekly blog post for years. It has always been brief, challenging and helpful. God has used Dr. Overman in a special way in my life. His biblical teaching on the theology of work has literally changed the way I see the world. I actually am more hopeful than ever when I think about how God wants us to influence every sphere of society with His great design and plan. - Jeff Keaton

As we journey together, let us pray for and encourage one another! If you have questions about RenewaNation or Biblical Worldview education, please contact me at tgordon@renewanation.org.