What Remains?
When
it’s all said and done? When the end is here? When the ultimate summation of
all things is summated? What remains? What will withstand the whirl-winds of insane
world views—views creating perspectives that perpetuate past and present religious
and or geo-political systems and out of control, ravenous bureaucracies? What will endure the scrutiny of God’s
judgment? What is secured for eternity! What is laid up in heaven?
Well,
it certainly will not be our
possessions or illusions of strength and will-power! And it certainly will not be our bad choices, mistakes, flesh,
ethnicity, sexual preference, education, willful disobedience, ideology, world
view, missing the mark, not measuring up to our or someone else’s bar of performance, religious ‘good’ works,
failures, or our so-called issues! All that is under the blood of Jesus and
thrown into the ‘sea of forgetfulness” for those who believe the Grace Message of
Jesus. At our best…
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“We know only a portion
of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. 10 But when the Complete
arrives, our incompletes will be canceled. 11 When I was an infant at
my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I
left those infant ways for good. 12 We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog,
peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and
the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God
sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! 13 But for right now,
until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that
consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love
extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.” (1 Cor. 13: 9-13, Msg)
That
kind of love is, "...where grace
intersects reality – where needs are met – where our stories converge." Ann
Voskamp Preceding that God-type of love is the functioning of “faith” and
“hope”. A faith that opens the door to the potential of a life lived in the hope
of God’s love! A love that always ultimately trumps out of control sharp tongues,
cultural mores, love languages, religious or political polarization, inevitable
differences, real wounds, pain filled memories, repeated relational failures-you
name it! His love wins hands down! Let’s look a little closer at the faith, hope
and love that ultimately never fail!
World English Dictionary,
Faith:
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1.
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strong or unshakeable belief in something, esp. without proof
or evidence
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2.
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a specific system of religious beliefs:
the Jewish faith
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3.
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Christianity trust
in God and in his actions and promises
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4.
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a conviction of the truth of
certain doctrines of religion, esp. when
this is not based on reason
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5.
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complete confidence or trust in
a person
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6.
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any set of firmly held
principles or beliefs
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7.
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allegiance or loyalty, as to a
person or cause (esp.
in the phrases keep faith , break faith )
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8.
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bad faith
insincerity or dishonesty
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9.
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good faith honesty or sincerity, as of intention in business (esp. in
the phrase in good faith )
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World English Dictionary
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Hope:
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1.
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( sometimes
plural ) a feeling of desire for something and confidence
in the possibility of its fulfillment: his
hope for peace was justified ; their hopes were dashed
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2.
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a reasonable
ground for this feeling: there is still
hope
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3.
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a person
or thing that gives cause for hope, ‘the Gospel of Jesus’
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4.
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a thing, situation,
or event that
is desired: my unswerving hope in God’s
Kingdom Rule
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5.
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not a hope, hopes dashed or deferred-put off, some hope used ironically
to express
little confidence that
expectations will be
fulfilled
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World English Dictionary
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