Hope

Almost exactly 18 years ago (Oct. 5, 1997) I launched a series of messages on the subject of coping when there seems to be no hope. Recently I dug into my files and found the script for the first one in the series. It had this introductory paragraph.

’About two months ago (Aug., 1997) I decided that a series on how to cope when there seems to be no hope would be appropriate. It would be based on Peter’s first epistle (in the New Testament). I sort of think that the Lord sat back and said, “Hmmm, so you want to talk to the people about coping, huh? What do you know about coping when there is no hope?”

“Well, I..er..that is..well, my parents did not have much when I was growing up.”

“Really? Did you ever not have enough to eat, or clothes to wear or a place to sleep?”

“No, we always had those. But after I got married we had 5 children, and I was a teacher and principal and then later a pastor. Doesn’t that count?”

“Most of the time it was smooth sailing for you. You did not endure persecution, tragedy, poverty, serious health problems, war or famine. When were you ever without hope?”

“Yes, I guess You are right.”

“I think you need a little taste of what it means to cope before you try to tell your congregation anything.”

Within a few days I was in an ambulance heading for the Intensive Care Unit in Penticton. It was a small stroke (TIA). Three weeks after that we received a desperate phone call from our son, Steven, with the news that the doctors were expecting their premature, 2 day old son, Connor, to die that evening.’

With encouragement and prayer support of many people I quickly recovered from a state of not being able to see straight, think straight, walk straight or talk straight. The balance and seeing took longer to come back but I only missed one Sunday away from the pulpit. Still seeing double I told the congregation that the church had grown marvellously in my absence. With determined effort I regained balance and have been physically active since then. Meanwhile, Connor, who we thought would be physically and mentally handicapped if he survived, just graduated from secondary school at or near the top of his class academically and had been very active in sports. We have very much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving season.

Thankful to be on the sunny side,

Henry Wiebe