Enduring Hope for the DisillusionedSample

When facing discouragement or disillusionment, checking out seems like a tempting option. But apathy and inaction have always been out of alignment with God’s mission.

In Egypt, and then in the wilderness, the Israelites experienced 443 years of waiting and hoping for a vision that would finally be realized in the Promised Land. When they arrived at their long-awaited destination, they had an opportunity to return to their God-given purpose and mission: to be a blessing to all the families of the earth.

From day one in the Promised Land, God established the expectation that the Israelites would not only care for their own but also extend their newfound stability and security to all who would enter their territory. His laws for the people of Israel included provisions for the foreigners and strangers among them.

The Israelites were to create the inverse of Egypt, establishing a place of refuge and provision, not slavery and oppression. They were to be people who focused outward on others—especially the most vulnerable.

But then and now, it’s easy for leaders to begin focusing inward. In the book of Jeremiah, God rebukes Judah’s king, Jehoiakim, for leading His people astray. Under the leadership of this self-serving king, the people of Judah disregarded the vulnerable. They failed to pursue justice or extend God’s shalom. They neglected their mission.

From the ancient Israelites to Christ’s followers today, we have always been called to focus outward—to reflect God’s love for the world. To “opt-out” of this outward call is to neglect our God-given mission. Loving others is inextricably linked to our love of God.

How do we sustain our outward service? When we attempt to serve in our own strength—without looking upward—we can expect cynicism, burnout, and stagnation to come of our efforts. We are invited to make service the fruit of our faith, not the root of it. God invites us to serve rooted in the grace and assurance of His presence as we execute His mission.

Our service cannot sustain our hope; our Hope sustains our service.