Hope in a Broken World

Les Henson

The world is broken. We see symptoms of its brokenness all around us. One out of every two marriages end in divorce, leaving many families fragmented and fractured. Also, the very idea of marriage is at risk. Bullying is an increasing issue in our schools, resulting in neither children nor teachers feeling safe. Violence affects vast areas of society, including our homes, where domestic violence is a growing problem. Racism is on the increase with the rise of the far-right. Our banking system is corrupt and dysfunctional. Stress fractures have appeared within our political system. Politicians have lost the respect and trust of the public. Our prisons are overcrowded, and restorative justice is virtually none existent, etcetera, etcetera.

Now, all this sounds depressing, so from where does our hope come? Our hope rests upon the one who stated, “All authority in heaven, and on earth has been given to me” (Matt. 28:18). He alone is absolute, and all else is relative. The entire universe centres upon him. So, we cannot and must not lose hope. Jesus Christ is Lord of both Creation and Redemption as we see in Colossians 1:15-23:

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant”.

So, our hope is in Christ’s and his gospel, thus, we must continue to engage the world with all its problems and brokenness seeking to bring every sector of life under his Lordship. There will be many discouragements, but we must not abandon hope for we serve the one who has all authority, the one who is both Lord of Creation and Redemption, and he has, reconciled “to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” Col. 1:20). Therefore, we must faithfully serve him, seeking to bring his righteousness and justice into every situation we encounter. Asking God to fill and empower us with the Holy Spirit as we live counter-culturally in a broken world until he comes to establish his kingdom.