Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (Romans 12:12 ESV) The Apostle Paul writes this in the backdrop of a persecuted Christian Church back in the late first century. His purpose for this verse and the passage around it is to create unity among very different people while pointing to the greater mission and vision of being in fellowship with Jesus. “Rejoicing in hope,” sounds easy enough, but is it? Isn’t this really implying the fact that life has really little hope to offer? Maybe it’s too dark to look at life that way. But really, I want to argue and inform you of the true reality we live in: despite your high speed internet, your satellite TV, smart phones and instant foods, there is very little of what you and I can classically call “hope.” By the very definition of the word, “hope” is something other than reality. Because if reality was “what we hoped for” we would have no need for it. The problem with our lives, if you question what is wrong with your life, is that we are so full and busy, we are numb to the pain of reality. So Paul tells us today take a moment or two or three to look at your life, to look at my life, and to understand the sadness and depravity of life l and anticipate when life in this reality no longer is, but life with Jesus is here to come. The weird thing here is the convenience at which Paul writes the next phrase, “be patient in tribulation.” Really, he is advocating you take your sweet time in the midst of a hardship you never wanted to be in? That makes no sense! Human nature tells us to avoid pain and trials. It’s why we have a multi-billion dollar drug industry. It’s why most people choose flight over fight when confronted. It’s why we would rather not try than to attempt something than to fail miserably. It is why we would much more prefer lipo than diet and exercise. But that isn’t the reason he is saying this. He is saying this so that we can be much more aware of our needs and our weaknesses and our failures. That is why Paul drops the bomb, “be constant in prayer.” I am not going to say that when the sun is shining and the roses are blooming that you are not constant in prayer. In fact I know your prayers are constant through these times, because I pray constantly in these times of summer and growth. The problem is that they easily become superficial prayers that we recite and there is little, if any, substance or sincerity within them. Therein lies the problem. “Constant prayer” is about substance and sincerity where you cry and reach out for the God who hears you and deals with you faithfully. This gives us the ability to boldly hope, patiently wait, and tirelessly pray to God every single day and through every possible trial and tribulation. Let’s pray constantly, sincerely, hopefully.
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