The Hope That Lies Ahead

Today we saw a new president take the oath of office. With each new administration there is a sense of hope and expectation for what the future will hold, and this one is certainly no different. In fact, given the state of our country's economic condition and reputation in the world, there is an even greater hope that the future will be brighter. Most likely it will be, but there are no guarantees when it comes to our economy. We can only hope, pray, and see how the future unfolds.

For a person who has lost a child, the hope and expectation for what the future will hold is shattered. Nothing looks bright, and any sense of future is lost or meaningless--at least for a time. Then, as the weeks, months or even years pass, little glimmers of hope begin to appear on the horizon. We begin to see that it is possible to have joy again, especially in the little things such as hearing a beautiful song bird or watching a butterfly land on a flower and display its beauty as it gently moves its wings.

As the ability to see the present with a heart of joy returns, our ability to see the future with hope and expectation also begins to grow. In fact, we might discover a new found hobby or past time that helps us to look forward with anticipation to what lies ahead for us. But there is no greater hope or expectation than that which Heaven offers. You see, for those of us who believe in eternal life and know Heaven to be our true home, this here and now is only a shadow of all that awaits us. The most beautiful sunrise here will be outdone a hundredfold in Heaven. The finest wines and foods enjoyed on this earth will seem like items picked up at the local mini-mart once we have tasted what is in Heaven. The pieces of music that stir our souls here on earth will bring us joy in Heaven, but they will pale in comparison to the sounds that will wrap around us as we move about the Kingdom of Heaven.

Yes, Mr. President, I look forward to the next few years with hope and anticipation, but even if you accomplish everything I hope you and your administration will accomplish, it will only satisfy to a point. My true hope and expectation lie in God alone and the Kingdom of Heaven in which I will live. There, I will be all that I was meant to be. There I will be with Him. There I will be reunited with the ones I have loved and lost here on earth. There I will be with my son, and we will laugh together and hug one another just as we always did, but it will be even better.