Hope in Impermanence

I think one of the clearest lessons of the last year (personally, locally, and globally) is that safety is an illusion. I imagine each of us who lived through the recent events in this area will carry with us for the rest of our lives the realization that on an otherwise unremarkable morning, a piece of equipment in an obscure nearby place can create a spark that will, in a matter of hours, permanently change the lives of everyone we know.

As Solomon wrote, “All is vanity.” Strength and beauty will fade. This is the human condition, and we cannot escape it on our own. Not only is our condition mortal, our condition as sinners separates us from God. The cost of our sin must be paid with blood.

The author of Hebrews explains to us Christ's position as the High Priest of “the good things that have come.” Christ paid for our sins with His own blood. As we reflect on the impermanence around us and awaken to our own powerlessness, I want you to pay very close attention to what Hebrews 9:12 says about Christ entering the perfect tabernacle as our High Priest:

He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.

Our only security is in Him. The glorious story of the Gospel is the most important story in all of creation. It is, in fact, the meaning of it all.

As we enter into this season where we remember Christ's sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection, I want to encourage you about the Good News of the Gospel. I sometimes forget that not only is the Gospel good news, it is THE Good News. It is the only real good news there is and, therefore, it is what we need our lives to be about. In these times of uncertainty, the certainty of Christ is the hope that we can share with an insecure world. Draw near to Him! He is our hope and our salvation.