First Step Toward Hope
Funny thing about life. No matter who you are. No matter where you are. It all starts with that first step.
First breath when we’re born.
First time you ask someone on a date.
First kiss after being married.
First payment when you buy a house.
First call after you get that life-shattering news.
First steps are important because they really tell us who’s important. What’s important. How our priorities are arranged. Who’s most important.
Which makes me wonder, where did we turn the last time we got that really bad news? When the pressures of life just overwhelmed us like a tsunami, who was our first call to? Did we try to just handle it ourselves? Is there that special someone who knows everything about you?
It was late in the evening when I got the call that my dad had died. Mary Ann had gone to bed earlier and was sound asleep. I normally want to show my love for her by letting her rest, but this was just too big. I had to go to her and tell her everything.
Even though I’ll never receive another call about a parent dying, I have to wonder where I’ll run to when all hell breaks out again in my life? Notice that I didn’t say “if” all hell breaks out, but “when” it does.
Who can I reach out to?
Who can listen?
Who can I just dump on?
Who can comfort?
Who can strengthen?
Now, I’m blessed with many good friends. I even have a small handful of people that I can tell just about anything. But they can’t handle all my heavy news. They don’t have the patience or power to help.
That requires someone else.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest
Matthew 11:28 RSV
Jesus offers himself to be the one who’s always there. He’s got the time and patience as we ramble on. And on. And on. He’s also got the power and authority to either change things or to give us power to go through it.
But notice that we have a responsibility. We have the first move. He’s there but we have to do the coming. He’s already shown his love and commitment for us by dying for us. Now, he’s waiting for you and me.
Kick down the door to our life.
Bulldoze over us.
Bowl over our enemies.
Pull up our problems like a weed.
He’s not going to do any of this without our first step.
Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together.
Revelation 3:20 CEV
Jesus is standing and knocking. He’s already right there outside your door. He’s already knocking. And knocking. And knocking. He’s waiting for us to open ourselves up to him.
To invite him in.
To offer him a seat.
To spend time with him.
To tell him everything.
Only after we’ve taken that first step will he give us rest. Give us hope.
So, the big question is what’s stopping us? What’s holding us up from taking that first step? Or maybe it’s that next step?
That’s where we’ll find hope.