Unswervingly

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

I awoke this morning around 5AM, not unusually early for me, a man of my age with typical man of my age issues. I am used to getting up in the night and using the bathroom. But this morning was different. My mind couldn’t seem to stop thinking about the video of ballots being retrieved from under tables in Georgia and added to the count while all the poll watchers had been sent home.

As My mind was racing, and my anger was rising, I came to realize just how blessed I have been to grow up in a country where integrity mattered. We are no longer that country. For the vast majority of citizens, it still does matter. But for those in power, it doesn’t. I am grieving that loss.

But then something even more disturbing came to my mind. I was trusting a political process! Yikes! I was putting my hope, at least temporarily, on a political system that mirrors in certain places that of countries ruled by dictators. I have taken for granted that I can follow Jesus without much resistance. I don’t have to worry about police coming in the middle of the night. At least not yet!

After my brain had run its course, I exited the bed and began to read the Scriptures. They hold the anchor for our souls. I came across this verse. Was I holding unswervingly to the hope of the Gospel? Yes, I am holding to it.

It was as if I had gotten off at the wrong floor, the elevator door having opened before it was supposed to open. I trust in Christ. My eternity doesn’t depend on fair elections. Millions of Christians around the world have lived for years in countries that haven’t treated them fairly, and those Christians are thriving spiritually. We can thrive, even when elections are flawed.

At last, my brain had caught up with my faith. My heart rate dropped, my breathing slowed and I felt the peace of Christ return. My hope is not in the United States of America. I am not purchasing a ticket for Venezuela any time soon, or even thinking of relocating to China or Pakistan. I am going to continue to trust Christ for the things that really matter.

I have the responsibility to hold on. The LORD is faithful to keep His promises. He won’t ever let go of me. I must never let go of Him.

Every once in a while our brains get off at the wrong floor. We begin to hope in something or someone that is fallible. We will get disappointed. Our moods will change.

And in those moments we must get back on the elevator and continue to push buttons until we get to the right floor. We must hold on to the hope we have. We must lever let it go, no matter what our eyes may see, or our ears hear. Jesus will not let us down. Governments will fail. Everything we trust that isn’t Him will fail eventually.

But Jesus will never fail us. He is faithful. Let us be faithful to Him.