BBD 08.24.21 Hope and Vision (Classic)
Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>
Classic from 2003
The Burning Bush Devotional
24 August 2021
This
devotional was written during the war in Iraq but I believe it still has a very
important message.
Hope and Vision
Paul, an
apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord
Jesus Christ, our hope. - 1 Timothy 1:1.
Therefore,
King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first
to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea,
and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works
befitting repentance. - Acts 26:18-20.
Retired
military officers and planners have been stating over and over again that “hope is not a plan.” They say this in regard to the hope that large numbers of enemy
forces would surrender, mutiny, or fade away into the desert. They also say the
same thing about the “hope” that Iraqi civilians will rise up against the current Iraqi regime
making an assault in the streets of Baghdad, and Basra unnecessary. The
phrase “hope is not a plan” is apparently a favorite saying of military planners along
with “Imagination is not a strategy.”
The
apostle Paul prior to his encounter with the risen Christ was a rising star
among the Pharisees. He was “circumcised the
eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the
Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the
church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless
(Philippians 3:5-6).” Paul had the very
best of training that was available as he says, “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city
at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers'
law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to
the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women (Acts
22:3-4).”
The
Pharisees had a plan for ridding their world of the plague of Christianity.
Their plan was to use their best man, Saul, to lead the attack against those of
the “Way.” They
would begin in Jerusalem and follow the tentacles of this belief wherever it
might lead. Their strategy was to use their political power as cover for their
ruthless and brutal attack, which would include putting even women and children
into prison and executions of those who opposed them.
The
plan and strategy of the Pharisees was working well. The Christians who were
vocal in their beliefs had been dispersed from Jerusalem and had spread even to
Damascus. Saul in carrying out the next step of the plan for eradication of
Christianity proceeded with following the believers to Damascus. He fully
intended to continue the Pharisee’s strategy of brutality to destroy all who
believed in this Jesus called the Christ. There was only one thing wrong with
their plan and strategy. The more they persecuted the Christians the further
those of “the Way” spread.
For the
Christian, “hope” is more than a plan - it is a way of life
and “vision” is more than a strategy - it is a driving
force. Saul who became the apostle Paul traded in his zeal of persecution
and brutalization for hope and vision. Paul through his personal encounter with
the risen Christ on the road to Damascus came to have “hope.” With
Paul’s encounter of Jesus came the realization and understanding that this
world is not all that there is and that Jesus represented the entire eternal
world beyond the physical. Hope of what was to come became Paul’s way of life
as he lived his life in view of what were the eternal realities. The “heavenly vision” became the driving
force changing not only his life but the lives of countless others as Paul
preached, taught, and lived the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In
order to truly live the Christian life we too must have “hope.” We
must have our own encounter with the risen Christ (Romans 10:13; John 1:12; Revelation 3:20; John 5:24; John 14:6) and when we do we will understand with Paul that there is an eternal
dimension to life. We will then understand that there is so much more to life
than what we can see with our eyes. Our own “heavenly vision” will drive us
forward in love and service to our Lord.
Copyright © 1998 - 2021. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
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