Monday 31 August 2009

More on Hope - William Willimon turning again to Karl Barth's reflections.

To the person who doggedly, persistently denies the lordship of Christ and turns away from the open hand of salvation, "God does not owe eternal patience and ...deliverance" says Barth. But if there are limits upon the love and patience of God, those matters are in God's hands, not ours. Though we must not expect certitude in these matters, says Barth, we can still "hope," because it is a matter in the hands of the sovereign God. "That...you may know...the hope to which he has called you...God put this power to work in Christ...And he has put all things under his feet...the fullness of him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 1:18-23). Such hope is not wishful thinking but rather engendered in us by scripture such as Romans 12:29 on the irrevocable gifts of God and 2 Timothy 2:13 on the desire of God.

If we cannot expect certainty. Then we live a conditional life...a maybe life...a questionable life...a life that always makes us doubt what will be. I may be reading this all wrong, but it sounds like there is a little door open that allows for something other than the salvation of all - that is...a complete announcement of Good News - not withstanding the doubt and troubles of the world. When we talk about hope it is a hope that contains all that will save us...all that will save. When this word is not boldly and even recklessly thrown out as a gift for all, it is so easy to fall back into some other word that keep us running in circles of conditionality that really are the conditions we seem to want to put on an unending announcement of God's Reign over all things. We do not limit God when we speak of God's unlimited grace and welcome. In fact, it is so beyond us to know about this grace and welcome that we cannot full grasp it...but it keep unfolding among us and surprising us like a fresh breeze that turns our heads again and again.

Connection: One word - forever - without end - unbreakable promise. The day can be shaped in new ways under the rule of such a word.

Creating God, you bring us into life with the promise that the fullness of your Reign is available to each of us. A life we have and a life we can share and a life that continues to blossom in unknown ways. Amen.