Hope

November 5, 2008 in Leadership with 2 Comments

I saw something last night I haven't seen in a while.

Like just about everyone else, I was glued to the tv last night watching election results come in. I watched Barack Obama make yet another exceptional speech last night.  Whatever you think about Obama's win, the man has to be one of the greatest orators in a generation, if not in a century. 

But beyond that, I was watching the crowd.  Like I can't remember seeing in a long time, I think I saw hope in people's eyes as 100,000 people gathered in Chicago.  Not just tears of joy.  Not just the smiles that comes with victory.  But I think I saw hope.  I think I saw in people a belief that things are going to get better.  That's been so rare lately in either Canada or the US. 

It reminded me of how important hope is.  How much we need it not just in our culture, but in the church.  I think hope happens when people begin to believe that tomorrow can be better than today.  Hope happens when we realize we can accomplish more together under great leadership than we can on our own.  Hope happens when we realize there is more power in "us" than in "me".

And it got me thinking about our faith.  Of any group, followers of Jesus have more to hope for than anyone.  Under Christ's leadership we can accomplish far more than we ever could on our own, and that we trust Him to do what He has promised.

I'm praying today for the new president elect and for our prime minister, because the scripture asks us to pray for our leaders.   But I'm also praying that we would learn to hope in God at such a profound level that even now, we believe we can help make tomorrow better than today under Christ's great leadership.

Hope is soooo wonderful to have.  What fuels your hope?  What pours a wet blanket on it?

About Carey Nieuwhof: Carey Nieuwhof is lead pastor of Connexus Community Church and author of the best selling books, Leading Change Without Losing It and Parenting Beyond Your Capacity. Carey speaks to North American and global church leaders about change, leadership, and parenting.

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  • http://www.twitter.com/ronragsag Ron Ragsag

    Whether you're an individual, a nation, or the world, every degree of struggle brings hope. A hope for the better.
    I hope because I BELIEVE. I hope here on earth because I TRUST in God. God gave us a new American president who has the passion to help and reach out not just to the middle/upper class but to EVERYBODY – the poor, people who have the greatest struggles.
    Jesus ministered to the down & out, to the oppressed. I personally see Jesus in each and every human being. I definitely see Jesus in Barack Obama. God Bless the United States of America and the rest of the world!

  • http://danscottblog.com dan scott

    Your sentiments are felt all over the US right now. We have some interesting ground to cover among some church folk who see this very opposite from the rest of the citizens. I've seen some ugliness from my friends, and hope that we can all work together and continue kingdom building amidst change.

    Thanks, Carey for your words. Isn't great that we can HOPE in God who controls all of our futures.