There's Got To Be Hope

We had to call the police at the youth event I help out with last night, to help deal with some guys who refused to leave after we asked them to because their behaviour had become unacceptable.

When they arrived, one of them ran away prompting the police officer in attendance to comment that this particular boy now 'had his card marked'.

I shared with the team afterwards that so often we accept that certain things are set in stone. It is likely that the kids who got in trouble with the police last night will continue on that path, but it's by no means definite. I don't have to agree with the police officer that this kid is always going to be trouble.

The reason why we work with these guys is because we believe that there is another way, and that the example of the Christians they come across at our events hopefully points out that lives can be changed and turned around.

I say hopefully. The days we live in are extremely cynical, and hope often seems to be relegated to the small print, not something to be spoken about.

But hope remains real.

Hebrews 11:1 tells us that 'faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see'.

Without faith in God, I'd have no basis on which to hope for anything better and no reason to be confident that things can change, no matter how it appears to look on the surface.

I can dare to have faith that there is more going on than I can see, and hope for better, because God is alive and active in this world.

Hope remains real.