Hope That Never Fades

Scriptures: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27)

The well-known Broadway musical, Fiddler on The Roof, is one of a few stories that touched my heart deeply. In the life of the main character, Tevya, we see the struggle of humanity for peace and harmony in a changing and merciless world, as symbolized by the efforts of a fiddler trying to produce the beautiful music and maintaining his balance on the steep roof all at the same time.

One of the scenes that kept echoing in my heart constantly since I saw it in the 70’s was the scene where the people from Tevye’s village, having been evicted by Tsar, stood in the cold freezing snow storm on the river bank waiting for the ferry boat. As they waited, they started to lament on the life in Anatevka, the village where they have spent their whole lives. Then, one of them asked their Rabbi a question, “Rabbi, wouldn’t this be the best time for the Messiah to come?” And the Rabbi replied, “We will simply have to wait for Him some place else!”

In a time when everything they had worked so hard for all their lives had been taken away, their land, their dreams, their families, their friends, and everything else that made up their lives, and they did not even know where to lodge the next evening, they remembered the Messiah they had hoped for throughout their history. In the midst of that blizzard, they looked up to the Promised One and wondered if that was the time for Him to come. How desperate their hearts must have been!

I knew there were times in my life when I shared the feelings of those people from Anatevka. In those times, people you knew or your loved ones could offer no help because they might have been in the same boat. There’s only one whom you could turn to. But there’s cloud and there’s heavy snowfall and we felt left out and blocked out. We cried out and heard only the sound of wind blowing the snow. We felt deserted and all alone. But, is this true?

The Rabbi had a different take. “We will simply have to wait for Him some place else,” he said. He will come! There was no doubt or question in the mind of the Rabbi. There wasn’t anything else that needs to be done, either. Only waiting, patiently! That’s all! Simple, but powerful!

It’s simple because there’s really nothing we need to do except keeping our faith and focus on Him continually. It’s powerful because we all know how hard it is to keep our faith when things don’t go the way we expect them to be. And yet, on the morning of that blizzard, the Rabbi saw the promise of God through the clouds and heavy snowfalls and through the heavy hands dealt him by people he did not even knew.

I was humbled! Someone who did not even know that his Redeemer had come and had brought eternal hope to all mankind could have such hope and persistence in God, how abut me, a Christian who claims to have known my Redeemer and whom our Heavenly Father calls His own? Do I only see the clouds and snowfalls? Or am I able to see the love and faithfulness of God beyond these circumstances and everything they have dealt me?

In the many encounters I’ve had with difficulties and disasters in life, the faith of that Rabbi challenged me time and again. I felt as if God was asking me, “Where do you see me in your life? In good times only? Or in bad times, too? Didn’t I promise you that I would never leave you, nor forsake you? Stand with me!”

Job, in the midst of his misery and agonies, made one of the greatest professions of faith when he said, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27) He longed for His Redeemer, His presence and His salvation!

Our circumstances are real. The pains and sufferings are real, too. But what’s equally true and more important is that neither our circumstance, nor our pains and sufferings get to say the last word. Our Lord does! Job declared, “I know that my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25) He not only lives, He delivers us, too!

Praise the Lord!

Prayer Requests:
For all those finding it more and more difficult to make music out of a life of difficulties and turmoil

Prayer:
Our Lord God, You are the God of good times and of bad times. Help us to remember that You are always in control. If we grow weary in hanging on to You, give us strength and determination so we may stay focused and firm in our faith in You for we pray in the gracious name of our Lord Jesus, Amen!