My wife and I were recently watching an episode of something and the opening scene showed an airplane packed full of people.  As the stewardess was trying to pass out water and pretzels, there was a baby screaming, people talking loudly, and even a guy complaining loudly that there’s not enough pretzels in the bag (he was probably justified in that!).  There didn’t seem to be any empty seats that I could see.  But I did notice people were busy with their everyday lives.  One lady was complaining to her friend about some guy… maybe a boyfriend?  Someone else was trying to watch a movie on her phone.  There was a businessman toward the front who was trying to catch up on some work with his laptop.  And there was a lady near him who clearly didn’t like flying!  She kept focusing on her breathing as her hands tightly clenched the armrests.

Then suddenly there was a jolt of turbulence.  Most people in the plane didn’t seem phased… to which I remember thinking with a jolt like that I’d have a death grip on the armrests!  Then came another jolt, and another… each one bigger than the last!  Then with the last jolt, the plane dipped down nose first.  People were frantic as the oxygen masks automatically deployed.  At this point I turned to Amanda and said: And that’s why I don’t like to fly unless I absolutely have to!

Looking at the wreckage in the next scene I couldn’t help but think: What hope did those people really have?  Because without Jesus, they had no hope.  This is why I referenced Proverbs 14:32 in the NET version this week.  It’s the only translation of the Bible that I know of that uses the phrase: “even in the threat of death.”  I’ll spare you the Hebrew lesson and just say that the main idea in this verse is that those who put their believing loyalty in Yahweh God have a real hope even in the threat of death.  They have a safe space (a refuge) because they know that even if tragedy strikes, they will be with God.

As Christians today, this is the promise we have in Jesus: Whoever believes in Him will have eternal life!  It’s because of Jesus that we can have the same perspective of eternity that Paul had when his life was threatened.  He said, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).  It’s this kind of perspective that our prayers of lament lead us toward.  It’s a deep trust that says: Even in the threat of death, I don’t have to worry, because I know Jesus is in control.

This is why I titled this week’s devotional: Finding Real Hope.  I hope this encourages you in Christ today, no matter what’s going on in your life!

– Pastor Scott